UTM Party president Michael Usi has reprimanded party officials for allegedly violating the party’s constitution ahead of its elective national delegates conference set for November 17 2024, hinting that he can seek legal redress.
In a letter addressed to UTM secretary general Patricia Kaliati, Usi, who is also the country’s Vice-President, has raised numerous issues he argues are a violation of the party’s constitution.
Usi, in line with the party’s constitution, ascended to the UTM presidency after the death of founding leader Saulos Chilima in a June 10 2024 military plane crash. President Lazarus Chakwera also picked him as the country’s Vice-President to fill the gap created by Chilima.
But in his letter, Usi, who has been at loggerheads with some UTM officials since he took over, argues that some officials, working with Kaliati, are grossly violating the party’s constitution.
He said they constituted a convention committee which he does not recognise. He alleged that the committee was depositing nomination fees into an unknown account.
Said Usi: “They have also unfortunately decided to deposit the money collected from nomination fees to an account that does not belong to the party, contrary to Article 8 subsection 7 (d) which says that NEC shall manage and control all the money and property for UTM.
“This decision too was made without NEC approval.”
He further claims that the convention committee has not been given terms of reference despite the party constitution stipulating how an election ought to be conducted.
Article 8 of the UTM constitution states that the NEC is the highest organ of the party between national delegates where elections are held and has authority to lead the party.
Core NEC positions include party president, secretary general, deputy secretary general, national treasurer, deputy national treasurer, national organising secretary and deputy national organising secretary.
Article 5 of UTM constitution reads: “The quorum for the National Executive Committee shall be formed by the presence at the beginning of its meeting of at least one half of the members entitled to vote at the meeting”.
Kaliati could not be reached for comment, UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala yesterday described the issues as “internal” affairs.
“If at all there are issues, we will be able to discuss,” he said.
Reacting to the developments in a written response yesterday, political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche observed that it is becoming difficult for Usi to lead UTM from inside the government when the party is outside.
He said: “He is trying to catch two rats at the same time and this is why he has lost control of the party. He remains the legitimate president of the party by law. But this law needs to be complemented by social behaviour which is lacking in this case as Dr. Usi is still associated with Malawi Congress Party, a party that the Kaliati-led faction does not want to work with”.
On October 24 2024, The Nation reported that Usi directed that following Kaliati’s arrest for an alleged murder plot the NEC meeting scheduled for October 25 2024 to prepare for the convention be postponed.
However, UTM NEC proceeded with the meeting on the day in Lilongwe and deliberated on the convention, including confirmation of dates, venues and ratifying on nomination fees which Usi is on record as having protested.
Since Chilima’s death, UTM has been embroiled in wrangles resulting in factions which have on numerous occasions contradicted each other publicly.
