Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya and former first lady Callista Mutharika have put Vice President Saulos Chilima in trouble after making controversial remarks at the United Transformation Movement (UTM) rally on Saturday.
During the rally Msowoya said: Inu [President Peter Mutharika] mwakalamba musiyileni Chilima ayendetse dziko. Mukadzamuwuza kuti apa ndinanyambitapo adzakukhululukirani. Ndi opempheratu (You are old now so let Chilima take over the presidency. When Chilima is president he will forgive you if you tell him you stole public funds. He is a prayerful person).”
Malawians have questioned Msowoya’s remarks saying they are evidence that Chilima will not take action against his current boss President Peter Mutharika if he (Chilima) becomes president in 2019.
On Facebook, some Malawians have been contacting Msowoya to clarify the remarks.
During the UTM rally on Saturday, Chilima spoke after Msowoya and he made it clear that all looters of public funds will be prosecuted if they fail to return the stolen money to Malawians after a 30 day amnesty.
Malawians have also condemned another UTM member Callista for saying that Malawians who are in diaspora or have been in exile on political grounds do not have a right to engage in local politics.
Callista was referring to Mutharika who went into exile during the one party era and also lived in the United States for decades.
United Transformation Movement Secretary General Patricia Kaliati has claimed that Lhomwe Paramount Ngolongoliwa endorsed Vice President Saulos Chilima to be the country’s president after the 2019 elections.
Kaliati made the claim during the launch of the UTM on Saturday at Masintha Ground in Lilongwe.
She said businessman Leston Mulli and Ngolongoliwa used to invite Kaliati and other politicians to Mulli’s house where they encouraged them to express their support for the vice president.
“Tithokoze Mulli ndi Ngolongoliwa chifukwa chosankha Dr Saulos Chilima…. Amatiyitana kunyumba kuti tikamusapote Chilima,” she said without elaborating.
Another UTM member made a similar claim in May saying that Mulli – who has never publicly endorsed Chilima – wanted Chilima to replace Mutharika but made a U-turn after being given the money as compensation for losses in the 2011 anti-government demonstrations.
“Mulli was one of [the] rebels but, because he received his money, he backed down. In fact, how would the government pay K3.1 billion without an argument in court, not even an evaluation of damages? Is that fair?” Ngalande told the local media.
According to Ngalande, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government feared Mulli would use his influence in the Lhomwe belt to erode the party’s popularity in the region.
The UTM which is led by Chilima is a breakaway party formed by former members of the DPP after they failed to convince President Peter Mutharika to pave way from Chilima.
Mulungu anadalida david olo anali mwana nakhala mfumu mulunga akadalisa palibe angatemberere
Mr V. P If this is true we are still in DPP then. You still have all the wrong people in your new party. Remember the teaching of Jesus when he said “how can you put the old wine in a new wine skin, is it not going to break the new wine skin?” How would you keep Kaliati, Mulli (who costed the whole country a very able bank (MSB) and he was paid government money corruptly as though the k9 billion bailout was not enough that government paid on his behalf ), Chief Ngolongoliwa (this one is not a chief but a politician ), Calista Muntharika (Bingu was eroded of his brains coz of this woman, she insulated malawians on everyday basis during our fuel crisis ). I have lost interest in your party honestly. Even if you win but with these people you will collapse too as others did trust you me.
Zachamba zokhazokha izi. A chilima saliokwanila kuyendesa dziko ndi mwana uyu.
Nanunso a malawi24 musamatibalalitse paja nanunso muli ku DPP mukuona ngati sitikudziwa.mesa bwana wamkulu ndi wa DPP.mukuchita kuyaluka kuti muli mbali yina palibe chabwino mukunena za Chilima.Komatu dzanja ndiye lalemba basi 2019 DPP paulendo.