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MCP And UTM 'Dialogue' On Possible Fresh Election Alliance

Alliance talks: MCP and UTM met in December over possible alliance Alliance talks: MCP and UTM met in December over possible alliance File Photo

The Malawi Congress party and UTM are set to revive talks that were halted on 13 December 2019 on a possible election alliance, according to our inside sources.

Secretary Generals, vice presidents and other representatives from the Malawi Congress Party and UTM met in Lilongwe in December 2019 to advance the agenda of a possible electoral alliance in anticipation of a court order for fresh elections.

Inside sources have confided in Zodiak Online that the two parties nonetheless did not agree on how they will consolidate party positions in the electoral alliance ahead of an election and after for governance sake.

We have information that in December, two high level meetings took place between members of parliament from the two sides and another for their senior party leaders.

The MCP team comprised of MCP vice president Sidik Mia, Secretary General Eisenhower Mkaka, PP’s Roy Kachale, Ephraim Chivunde, a Mumba of Freedom Party on one hand and Dr. Micheal Usi, Dr. Joseph Chidanti Malunga and Anita Kalinde from the UTM side.

“The thorny issue is that Secretaries General from both sides don’t want to advance the agenda. Probably fearing for their positions. I am certain that at this pace, nothing will be achieved,” said our confidant privy to the discussions.

But MCP Secretary General Eisenhower Mkaka has expressed ignorance about the meeting saying the public will be informed if the party will go into an electoral alliance with any party ahead of the fresh presidential election.

“I cannot comment on that but if anything happens it will be communicated,” he said although Zodiak Online has information Mkaka was part of the December meeting.

UTM Secretary General Patricia Kaliyati confirmed about the meeting but refereed us to the party’s spokesperson Dr. Joseph Chidanti-Malunga who feigned ignorance.

He however said the party is willing to serve interest of Malawians on how to go about with the fresh election and will put on bay issues of party positions.

“We have never said no to alliances but if we go into alliances what is it that we want to achieve? If we go into alliances to achieve positions then we are missing the whole point,” he said.

“We need to go into alliances bearing in mind that it is good for the country that’s what we are saying. So we can talk to anyone including the MCP as long as its good for the country,” Chidanti Malunga told Zodiak Online.

Both MCP president Chakwera and UTM's Chilima have indicated willingness to work together with other parties in the run up to the fresh election. But both have yet to define how that would work.

The constitutional court verdict on Monday went in favor of UTM and MCP leaders who wanted the May 2019 presidential poll nullified where DPP’s Peter Mutharika was declared winner by the Malawi electoral Commission.

The court ordered for a fresh election within 150 days from the day the verdict was passed.

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Last modified on Thursday, 06/02/2020

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