UTM fills vacant NEC positions

UTM Party has filled three positions in its national executive committee (NEC) with members from the Northern Region.

Former Karonga Central legislator Frank Mwenifumbo has been appointed publicity secretary, replacing Joseph Chidanti Malunga, who recently resigned to return to his job in the academia from which he was on sabbatical leave.

UTM Party has also promoted Catherine Mzumara from the position of deputy national director of research and monitoring to national director of research while former Mzimba South East legislator Rabson Chihaula Shaba has been appointed executive member.

When contacted yesterday, the party’s secretary general Patricia Kaliati declined to comment on the appointments, saying she is not the publicity secretary.

But in a separate interview, Mwenifumbo confirmed his appointment, saying he has since accepted the position.

He said he will soon issue a detailed statement on his appointment.

Mzumara did not pick her phone when called for comment while Shaba also confirmed his appointment , saying the party’s NEC met on Saturday and resolved to fill the positions.

He said he has replaced Moses Mulenga who was elected UTM Party regional governor for the North after the governor for the region, Leonard Njikho, stepped down to focus on his business.

Said Shaba: “Previously, I did not hold any position in the party executive but was on the ground working because of my love for the party. Being in the executive committee will enable me to make contributions at that level and contribute to the party’s growth.”

Meanwhile, University of Livingstonia political scientist George Phiri has said he was not surprised that all the positions went to the North, saying UTM Party is strong in the Northern Region.

In an interview yesterday, he said UTM Party is sending a signal that it is building a party that is strong nationwide.

He said with the UTM Party leader Saulos Chilima, who is also the country’s Vice-President, being from the Central Region, it is easy to grow the party across the country.

Said Phiri: “It is evident that the party is strong in the North and the party wants to capitalise on that to keep the base strong.”

On the impact of the appointments, he said the party has taken the right approach to fill the positions now so that it has time to build the party.

In the nullified 2019 presidential election, UTM Party received more votes from the Northern Region, based on the party’s promises to develop the region, end regionalism and phase out the quota system of selecting learners to public universities and secondary schools.