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Kalindo quits UTM, analysts say move won’t shake Tonse

UTM Party director of youth Bon Kalindo has formally resigned from the governing Tonse Alliance partner, citing failure to fulfil campaign promises and lack of strategy to address rising cost of living.

But political analysts have said that his resignation will not affect the Tonse Alliance in terms of cohesion.

Announcing his resignation at a news conference at Dorvic Hotel in Blantyre yesterday, Kalindo, one of the founding members of the UTM Party led by Vice-President Saulos Chilima, alleged that the Tonse Alliance administration with President Lazarus Chakwera at the helm has deceived Malawians by failing to fulfil some of its campaign promises, including creation of one million jobs within the first 12 months.

Kalindo: We have been taken for granted

He further claimed that the Tonse Allinace administration was the most corrupt government in Malawi as evidenced by the arrests of some of the President’s aides and a former Cabinet minister.

Kalindo, who is also a comedian, apologised to Malawians for campaigning for the Tonse Alliance during the court-sanctioned fresh presidential election held on June 23 2020, saying: “I am taking this opportunity to publicly apologise for campaigning and making Malawians have faith in a system that has broken their livelihoods in so short a time.

“We have been taken for granted and it seems all our hopes continue to vanish each passing day.”

Reacting to his resignation, UTM Party spokesperson Frank Mwenifumbo expressed shock with the decision, saying it was regrettable because Kalindo “was a valuable member in the party”.

“He will be missed greatly. But we have accepted and respect his decision,” he said.

But Mwenifumbo condemned Kalindo’s action of abandoning his official UTM Party branded vehicle at the press conference venue, saying he could have formally handed it over.

Commenting on Kalindo’s resignation in separate interviews, political analysts Ernest Thindwa, Humphrey Mvula and Blessings Chinsinga observed that his resignation will not affect the Tonse Alliance.

The analysts said Kalindo has ditched UTM because he has not been given what he was anticipating from the Tonse Alliance after getting into power.

Thindwa, who teaches at the University of Malawi, said he will not be surprised if Kalindo rejoins the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

He said the fact that Kalindo comes from Mulanje, a DPP stronghold, will give him a higher chance of reclaiming the parliamentary seat.

On his part, Mvula noted that the behaviour Kalindo demonstrated in the past two weeks was toxic to the alliance, particularly the relationship between UTM Party and Tonse Alliance main partner Malawi Congress Party.

He said: “For the alliance, it [Kalindo’s resignation] is good for them because, here is a member who has now become somebody who was trying to destroy it from within.”

Chinsinga, who also teaches at the University of Malawi, said it is not strange for a politician to quit his political party since in every party there are always disagreements about how things should be done.

He said: “The key thing is how do you handle your disagreement on issues because you will always have different perspectives.”

Meanwhile, Kalindo said he will proceed with his planned street demonstration tomorrow in Blantyre demanding Chakwera to address some of the challenges Malawians are facing such as the rising cost of living. Other demonstrations are planned for Lilongwe on November 26 and Mzuzu on December 3. 

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