Tonse Alliance rift among youth worsens

Frustration continues to grow among Tonse Alliance partners with UTM Party youths in the North accusing the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) of sidelining other partners in the alliance.

This follows an incident in Mzimba on Sunday where UTM youth leader (North) Mzondi Mkandawire and MCP Ekwendeni Ward councillor in Mzimba North East Morgan Tembo traded barbs during the funeral of UTM Party youth Joseph Mwape at Doroba.

Mkandawire said lives of Malawians continue to deteriorate due to rising costs of living, and rampant corruption which government seems to have failed to deal with.

He said: “Corrupt ministers are being retained in Cabinet. The previous government used to steal from the public purse, but these ones [Tonse Alliance] are worse.

Mkandawire warned President Lazarus Chakwera’s government that the youth in the Northern Region wanted to hold protests last year, but were held back by their Tonse Alliance leaders.

He gave the President two weeks to fix the economy, deal with corruption, or face mass protests.

While Tembo said if the UTM feels sidelined, then the party should leave the alliance as MCP can work with Alliance for Democracy (Aford) to develop the country.

He said: “If you think we have failed, then pave the way. We will work with Aford. You can go and tell Chilima, that if the country is failing, he should leave the government. UTM Party shouldn’t be insulting Tonse Alliance government while still in it.”

In a telephone interview later, Mkandawire said the disagreement in the Tonse Alliance is as a result of the secrecy surrounding the agreement which was signed between Chilima and Chakwera.

UTM publicity secretary Frank Mwenifumbo downplayed the incident, saying people mourn in different ways and “you cannot stop them.”

“But the relationship with our partners remains strong, and we are all geared to help develop the country by doing what we promised,” he said.

MCP spokesperson Reverend Maurice Munthali said squabbles and tension between UTM and MCP are too remote to disrupt the presidency and the national agenda.

Last April while inspecting some projects in Karonga, Chilima decried divisions, saying the alliance must proceed as partners together in ensuring that they claim victory again in 2025.

During celebrations for the success of the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) last year, Chakwera also said no one should be boasting around that the June 23, 2020 victory was the work of one person.

Political strategist Humphrey Mvula in an earlier interview said he believes the rift is a result of lack of inter-alliance dialogue, and definition of the alliance.

“When starting the alliance, they did not put together an elaborate memorandum that would guide the alliance. If they did, they have not operationalised it,” he said. The Tonse administration, led by Chakwera and Chilima dislodged the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party in the June 23 2020 Fresh Presidential Election.