UTM seeks opinion from members on possible alliance with MCP

UTM Party says it has embarked on an exercise to seek opinions and suggestions on how the party can go into a possible political alliance with the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

Spokesperson for UTM, Joseph Chidanti Malunga, has said that his party has set up a team to go into negotiations with the MCP on prospects of an alliance ahead of the fresh presidential election  which Parliament has set to take place on  May 19  this year – subject to presidential assent.

The winner of the election will need to amass over 50 per cent of votes that will have been cast.

“We want to find out from our supporters on how the alliance should be. We want to seek views from our supporters across the country before we go into the alliance,” he said.

Political analysts have proposed an electoral alliance between UTM president Saulos  Chilima and MCP presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera as a combined presidential ticket.

However, Malunga said that the party was not being forced into the alliance with the MCP.

“We are a party and we make our own decisions,” he said.

Malunga’s comment come barely a day after Chilima told a local radio station that the party has set up a team to look into how best to forge an alliance with the MCP, an alliance which would be good for Malawi not individual politicians.

Electoral alliances or coalition have become the buzz words in the run-up to the country’s fist ever fresh presidential elections proposed for May 19 2020 in line with February 3 Constitutional Court order following the nullification of last year’s polls.

Chilima said UTM want to engage on what would be a good alliance, saying there was need to think about the  desired state of the country.

“There has to be a semblance of convergence of our manifestos. If not, the alliance will collapse,” Chilima said.

He said the party will agree to on alliance on the basis of national unity.

Chilima  said UTM and MCP need to engage very deeply about how they want to move.

“I am not looking for perfect situation. But we don’t want to get into a situation where an alliance creates voter apathy.

“Leadership is not a determining factor as we explore alliances. I want to go into an alliance with motivation to address issues affecting Malawians. It is not so much about me. It is about how we deliver change. If the alliance decides that moving forward should mean I take the lead, so be it. If not, that’s also fine,” he said.

He said UTM will have to advise whether he takes a position in an alliance or not.

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