By Our reporter
The newly elected National Campaign Director for UTM, Maquenda Chunga has strongly trashed rumors circulating in the social media that some of its senior and veteran members who failed miserably at the convention will dumb party.
Soon after the UTM convention which was held in Mzuzu last Sunday, some Malawians in the social media have been saying that the party’s former secretary general, Patricia Kaliati, Newton Kambala, Dr. Mathews Mtumbuka, Noel Masangwi and Dr. Chidanti Malunga among others who poorly performed will dump the party.
“All the presidential candidates who were defeated left the convention prematurely. This was a silent protest to the outcome. Apart from that, the three have never issue a congratulatory message to the elected President, Dr. Dalitso Kabambe apart from thanking their campaign team. It shows they’re unsatisfied or frustrated and the results will be nothing apart from dumping the party,” said some Malawians in the social media.
But reacting to the development, Chunga said everyone especially UTM members congratulated Kabambe and other elected National Executive Committee (NEC) members before leaving the area.
Apart from that, Chunga said earlier all candidates agreed to accept the results and support the winning team during the party’s fundraising dinner.
Chunga who is also Mzimba South constituency former Member of Parliament further revealed that the party is also negotiating with all convention casualties on the same.
“UTM is a team of members who have full royalty. That’s why nobody dumped the party after the death of our beloved leader, Dr. Chilima. We have been witnessing some senior party members dumping their respective parties soon after the death of their leaders but that was not the same with UTM. This is a revolutionary party. I bet, no one will leave the party just because he or she failed at the convention,” responded Chunga to our questions.
The newly UTM National Campaign Director however said the party will be strong than ever.
According to him, almost ninety percent of the current NEC consist of youths who have all it takes to carry SKC legacy and transform the country.
“If you observed, many including myself and the president won with landslides. This is because the delegates who were from all districts knows our capability. The delegates were after people who can make UTM win the coming elections. And trust me, UTM will win the election without any alliance,” lamented Chunga who praised Kabambe as the right choice for Malawi.
He further saluted Kaliati for protecting the party from some members who wanted to sell it during her tenure as UTM secretary general.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank honorable Kaliati, Njawala and the current secretary general, Kalonga for doing a wonderful job of protecting the party from some members who wanted to sell it,” he added without mentioning names of the suspects.
However, while expressing their unsatisfactory with the convention results, Mtumbuka and Kambala have vowed not to continue support the party.
