State Vice President Dr. Michael Usi has described the forthcoming elective conference for United Transformation Movement (UTM) as illegal.

Usi said this during an exclusive interview after failing to submit his nomination papers ahead of the convention slated for November 17, 2024.

“As State Vice-President, I cannot be involved in a process that is proceeding with serious violations of the party constitution because doing so would make me complicit and if I am seen as complicit in the violation of a party constitution, how can people trust that I will uphold the Constitution of the Republic?,” said Usi.

Usi cited moves to change the party constitution without due process.

Article 23 of the UTM Constitution provides that a notice to amend the constitution be submitted to the secretary general (SG) three months before the National Delegates Conference starts.

Thereafter, the SG shall submit a notice to amend the constitution to NEC immediately upon receipt of the notice and no later than two months before the commencement of the national conference. After that, NEC is required to give the delegates to the national conference a one month notice of the proposal to amend the document.

An amendment to the party’s constitution can only be made at the National Delegates Conference—the party’s supreme body—by a two-thirds majority of delegates present and voting in favour, according to the party’s supreme rule book.

Usi stand has attracted mixed reactions with some being of the view that he has done well while others claim that he could have done something to avert the unconstitutional moves.

Meanwhile, Usi next move is not known at the moment.

Faceofmalawi will keep you updated on the matter.