Kaliati rejects calls for apology to Mulhako wa Alhomwe

…the cultural grouping planning vigils at Kaliati’s house

The newly established United Transformation Movement (UTM) has said it will not apologise to the Mulhako wa Alhomwe cultural grouping over the party’s speech last Saturday.

It is reported that UTM president who is also Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima vomited dirt words towards the cultural grouping at the launch of the party on Saturday at Masintha ground in Lilongwe.

According to Mulhako Wa Alhomwe chief executive officer Muchanya Kwaye Mpuluka, Chilima told thousands of people who witnessed the launch of UTM that it is not only Lhomwes who voted in the last Malawi polls.

Mpuluka said this speech has got a great impact to the general public as well as to their cultural grouping as the country is sailing towards 2019 tripartite elections.

He said that Mulhako Wa Alhomwe is seeking apology from the UTM president and secretary general Patricia Kaliati who the grouping condemned for mentioning Lhomwe Paramount Chief Ngolongoliwa.

“We are a cultural grouping, so they mentioned about Lhomwe and again we think that has an impact as we are moving towards general elections because as you know, Kaliati mentioned that it was not only Lhomwes who voted in 2014 elections.

“So that speech can change even the mindset of our people not to go for voters registration which MEC is crying a lot now and we think that hon. Kaliati is supposed to come and apologize to the Lhomwe people,” said Mpuluka.

He further added that if UTM president and secretary general fails to apologize to the Lhomwe people within seven days, all the members of the cultural grouping will hold vigils at Kaliati’s house in Mulanje.

However, reacting to the development, UTM secretary general Patricia Kaliati said neither her nor Chilima will apologize claiming there is nothing to apologize for.

Kaliati said she and Chilima did not claim that Paramount Chief Ngolongoliwa gave consent for the formation of UTM but only revealed that Ngolongoliwa and businessman Leston Mulli encouraged them to support vice president during a meeting in March this year.

“I only said we are thankful that Hon. Mulli and Chief Ngolongoliwa told us to support Chilima and not the UTM formation which they are talking about.

“But I cannot even apologize for that, if they want me to apologize let them invite each and everybody to be there. One, Masangwi who was with Mulli who invited me to their office to support Dr Chilima should be there. Two, Ngolongoliwa should be there because we have been meeting at his house for several times,” said Kaliati.

She further trashed reports that she is supporting Chilima because she was fired from President Peter Mutharika’s cabinet saying even late President Bingu Wa Mutharika dropped her but it was nothing of this nature.

On his part, UTM publicist Joseph Chidanti Malunga said there is no reason for the vice president to apologize over the statement.

He wondered why the grouping is involved in the matter claiming no one from the movement mentioned their cultural grouping.