A verbal war between United Transformation Movement (UTM) Secretary General Patricia Kaliati and State Vice President Dr. Michael Usi is far from over, attracting mixed reactions among Malawians.

It all started when Usi who is also UTM President, according to Constitution of the party, claimed to be in-charge of the party despite some top officials shunning his inauguration ceremony at Parliament building in the capital Lilongwe.

“Mayi akamaphika nsima phala limatentha ndipo lina limagwera pansi koma mayi samasiya mthiko. Inenso mthiko uli ndi ine ndipo sindisiya kuphika,” said Usi while addressing people who welcomed him at Kameza Roundabout in Blantyre a week ago.

But in what can be described as a an indirect response to Usi, Kaliati while welcoming into the party former governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) Dalitso Kabambe, said: “Nsima amaphika ndi azimai Ukamuona mamuna akuyenda ndi mthiko umangodziwa kuti ameneyo ndi Bachelor.

‘Mpoto, madzi ndi moto zophikira nsima zili ndi ine.”

Rumors have it that UTM wants Kabambe to takeover the leadership of the party following the death of the party leader Dr. Saulos Chilima in a plane crash.

The party is scheduled to hold its elective conference in October this year.