State Vice President Michael Usi, who is UTM Party interim president, Sunday declared interest in contesting as UTM president at the party’s forthcoming elective indaba.
UTM announced that it would hold its convention in Mzuzu City on November 17 this year ahead of the September 16 2025 Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections.
Addressing women at his official residence in Lilongwe, Usi said there would be no convention held outside provisions of the party’s constitution.
Usi said before UTM was born, he and former party leader Saulos Chilima were already there, adding that he could not watch the party die as he was one of its pioneers.
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“I did not apply to be the president of UTM but the party is guided by the constitution. Let people read what the constitution says about the presidency of the party.
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“I shall not allow party members to operate outside the party’s constitution. It is sad to tell party members not to follow me or wear party colours when they are with me. After all, some of the [regalia and items with] party colours were bought by me,” Usi said.
The Vice President also emphasised that party members who were bringing division into the party should immediately stop.
“I must emphasize the issue of discipline, which Chilima held to the highest esteem. This thing of announcing things that have not been agreed by the National Executive Committee (Nec) must immediately stop. There is no way people that want to contest for the presidency have to pay K20 million. This was not agreed and it shall not happen,” Usi said.
On her part, director of women for the Central Region, Emily Indiya, said women would rally behind Usi at the convention.
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She said she was worried that some Nec members wanted to divide the party.
“Chilima did not want people to fight. All this fighting for power and positions is uncalled for. Let us all operate as one and allow people to vote into positions members they wish,” Indiya said.
The meeting attracted close to 600 women from the party.
The women, who were clad in party clothes, sang songs of praise for Chilima and Usi.
Usi joins five others that are aspiring to contest for presidency at the convention.
These other are Patricia Kaliati, Newton Kambala,
Penjani Kalua, Dalitso Kabambe and Mathews Mtumbuka.
Recently, the party released a statement in which it indicated nomination fees.
According to a statement released on Thursday last week, signed by party spokesperson Felix Njawala, candidates who are vying for the position of president are supposed to pay K20 million.
The statement further indicates that those seeking to become deputy president are required to pay a nomination fee of K10 million.
It further indicated that regional vice presidents for Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern regions will be required to pay the same amount.
Other key positions—notably those of secretary general, national treasurer and national organising secretary—are attracting fees that are ranging from K1.5 million to K5 million.
“All 48 positions in the National Executive Committee shall be contested. Individuals interested to contest should make sure that they submit their nomination papers in the prescribed form by Wednesday, 30th October 2024, and that they satisfy all eligibility criteria under Article 34 of the UTM Constitution,” the statement reads.
Women and the youths have been favoured in terms of nomination fees.
“The UTM Constitution supports gender balance and youth participation.
“Therefore, women and youth are encouraged to run for all National Executive Committee positions, with a 50 percent discount on the fees,” it says.
Apart from the election, other items on the convention agenda include dissolving the interim Nec, ratifying and adopting the UTM constitution and endorsing a presidential candidate for the September 16 2025 Election.
Njawala has, in the statement, also stated that the UTM Manifesto would be unveiled, outlining the party’s vision and plans for the future.
Commenting on the fees, political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche described the fees as exorbitant.
“This is too expensive for most of the candidates that are vying for the presidency. The party is in the process of rebuilding and it needed to have measures that would accommodate as many aspirants as possible to ensure competition in order to get the best candidates. The fees are prohibitive,” Mkhutche said.
