Blantyre – The once United Transformation Movement (UTM) party is facing a serious internal crisis after a faction led by the party’s Secretary General, Patricia Kaliati, and one Felix Njawala, attempted to unilaterally announce the party’s withdrawal from the Tonse Alliance.
The drama unfolded at the UTM headquarters in Area 10, where Njawala, whose official position in the party is unknown, stated that UTM had left the Tonse Alliance. However, Kaliati later came out with an explanation that the party’s decision to exit the alliance would be discussed at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
Surprisingly, before the NEC meeting could take place, Kaliati was forced to release a public statement on July 12th, confirming that UTM had severed its membership in the alliance.
A renowned legal commentator, Lord Denning QB has posted on his Facebook wall arguing that the move by Kaliati and her associates is a direct violation of the party’s constitution, which does not grant the Secretary General the power to make such decisions on behalf of the party.
Denning discloses that according to the UTM constitution, the party’s “President is the Chief Administrative Head, with the duties to provide general direction and management, as well as represent the party and make pronouncements on behalf of the NEC”, adding that the constitution does not empower the Secretary General to make such unilateral decisions.
In the absence of the party’s president, Saulos Chilima, who recently passed away, the party’s Vice President, Michael Usi, has assumed the duties of the president, as stipulated in the constitution. Usi has made it clear that the UTM party he leads is still part of the Tonse Alliance, and those who want to jump out of his “pot” can do so.
This incident has reduced the Kaliati faction to a dissident group, creating a situation of two emerging factions within the party. The alignment of the party’s members going forward will be crucial in determining the legitimate authority within the UTM.
This internal crisis within the UTM party is likely to have far-reaching implications on the party’s political standing and its role within the political theatre in the country.
