Different views have emerged on the United Transformation Party’s (UTM’s) survival following its exit from the governing Tonse alliance.
Taking to various social media platforms immediately after the party’s Central Executive Committee members announced their exiting at a news conference on Friday, some Malawians have hailed the move while others have criticised the decision.
Taking to his social media page, John Hussein “said it was obvious most resolutions of the alliance was not kept and the alliance partners including UTM could not pretend any longer”.
However, Lonness Gwaza has described the decision as coming rather too late to guarantee any gain in popularity for the party
On his part, social commentator and human rights activist Undule Mwakasungula has predicted that this might mark the downfall of the party due to its decision.
“While the UTM central executive committee members might have valid grievances regarding unfulfilled terms and conditions of the alliance, and alleged betrayals addressing such challenges by existing from the alliance does not seem to be the best constructive approach.
This move could be suicidal to the party’s long-term sustainability potentially leading to its internal division within the party and consequently a loss of support among its base” said Mwakasungula.
Meanwhile, despite the party announcing its withdrawal from the alliance, some of its senior members continue to serve in the Malawi Congress Party (MCP led coalition government as cabinet ministers including the vice president, Dr Michael Usi.
The Alliance was formed in 2020 by nine political parties which led President Lazarus Chakwera’s coalition to win the courts’ freshly sanctioned elections.
However, most of the alliance partners have ditched the coalition with former president Joyce Banda’s People Party (PP) being the only notable one remaining.
Since the death of former vice president, Dr Saulos Claus Chilima and eight others who died in a plane tragedy last month, there has been some growing distinction in the manner the government responded to the plane crash resulting in the national loss.
