…UTM says wounds too fresh
MCP has opened its political door to new alliances, but UTM Party is standing at a distance, still nursing wounds from its previous partnership.
In 2020, MCP entered into an alliance with eight other political parties, including the UTM Party, forming the Tonse Alliance ahead of the 2020 Fresh Presidential Election.
The alliance bore fruit, with MCP president Lazarus Chakwera winning the election and becoming President, while UTM founder, the late Saulos Chilima, became Vice President.
However, the alliance later faced reported disagreements and internal tensions, eventually leading to its collapse, with both parties going their separate ways and contesting the 2025 elections independently.
But, MCP spokesperson Jessie Kabwira says the party is ready to work with both former partners and new political organizations that share its vision of tackling problems facing Malawians.
Speaking on Luntha Television, Kabwira said political differences should not prevent parties from working together on issues such as corruption, discrimination and the rising cost of living.
She said MCP believes political cooperation should go beyond electoral competition and focus on finding practical solutions to problems affecting ordinary Malawians.
Kabwira said any party seeking to work with MCP must be prepared to pursue common objectives and put the interests of the country at the centre of the partnership.
But UTM Party spokesperson Felix Njawala has sounded a note of caution, saying his party welcomes MCP’s position but is not ready to jump into another alliance.
Njawala said the party went through significant difficulties during its previous political partnership and has not yet fully recovered from the experience.
He said the experience means any discussion about a new alliance would require careful consideration.
The response places the issue of trust at the centre of any possible political realignment.
Even before Chilima died in the June 10, 2024 plane crash, rumours were already circulating that one of the parties was allegedly acting against the terms of the alliance agreement
