UTM, a member of the ruling Tonse Alliance, has rejected claims that its Members of Parliament want to move to opposition benches in Parliament.
Party spokesperson Frank Mwenifumbo has said in a statement today that reports of a breakaway from the alliance by its legislators are false.
“The UTM remain steadfast and committed to its mission of serving the people of Malawi who ushered the current government into office to lead the nation,” Mwenifumbo said in the statement.
He was reacting to reports that UTM Members of Parliament had written Speaker of Parliament to allocate them to the opposition during the sitting expected to start this week.
The claims emerged after President Lazarus Chakwera announced his cabinet last week.
Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has dominated the cabinet with key Ministries such as Agriculture, Lands, Foreign Affairs, Finance and Health being given to MCP legislators.
Vice President Saulos Chilima, who is also UTM leader, has been given a reduced role. He used to be Minister of Economic Planning and Public Sector Reforms but now economic planning has been linked with finance and Chilima is now only responsible for public sector reforms.
During the swearing in of the 30 cabinet members on Sunday, an event which Chilima skipped, Chakwera told the ministers to report to him and not their political parties.
He also reminded the ministers that it is only the president who has powers to appoint members of cabinet.
“I expect regular and timely reports to my office of the progress you are making, and I expect those reports to be presented to me directly and for me to be the one that directs you on whether any contents in your reports should be shared with anyone else. My point here is simply to remind you that you are not just a Minister of Government. You are my Minister,” said Chakwera.
Several political analysts have described the remarks as an indication that there is infighting within the Tonse Alliance.
