Alliance decries ‘political sabotage’

Transformation Alliance (TA) has accused the country’s political system for sabotaging their plans to hold their first-ever high-profile conference at the College of Medicine (CoM) Sports Complex which is scheduled to take place this Friday.

According to information The Nation has sourced, CoM management has failed to grant TA the venue at the 11th hour on the basis that the nature of the event was not made clear.

But TA chairperson Moses Kunkuyu expressed discontent with the development, wondering how CoM management could hire out a venue without asking what it was meant to be used for in the first place.

He said he is surprised that after having meetings at the venue on numerous occasions before the booking and after payment was made, including issues on general set-up and other preferences, management did not know what sort of event it was going to be.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Kunkuyu, who said everything has been put in place for the conference, was optimistic that they are going to get a venue that will not be blocked so as not to inconvenience their guests.

He said: “We have already paid for transport, lodging and other arrangements not only for Malawi delegates but foreign as well. We have no venue at the moment but I would like to assure all delegates that we are going to secure a venue.”

According to communication from CoM to TA, hosting such an event when students are on campus has security implications that CoM and the Sports Complex categorically deem as of high risk.

Among notable delegates expected at the conference include South African outspoken politician Julius Malema and Zambia’s leader of United Party Saviour Chishimba.

CoM Sports Complex representative Yuk-Yen Au-Yeung who signed the communication to TA could not pick up her mobile phone after several attempts seeking comment.