But by the grace of God, I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. —- 1 Corinthians 15:10
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” — Galatians 2:20
Heartiest congratulations to Dr. Dalitso Kabambe for his United Transformation (UTM) Primary election win, becoming the Presidential candidate for the 2025 Malawi Tri-partite elections! His win led to the defeat of three contenders Kambala (UTM founder), Dr. Mtumbuka, and former UTM Secretary-General strong-person Patricia Kaliati.
My serious advice on this, as celebrations and analyses take their round, is that the Presidential candidate Kabambe must not forget or throw away the three contenders (Kambala, Mtumbuka, and Kaliati). He, the Party and indeed the whole country needs them.
For unity, for the wealth of contributions, they can and will bring to party and country, and for modelling how party politics must be run. Presidential candidate Kabambe should make major plans to incorporate them for success in 2025 as well as a fruitful presidency. Let the UTM bring back the brilliance of the SKF tenure.
On November 18, 2024, I turned 70 years old; to commemorate this, there were a two-week long celebrations: 1) my nephew took me, his Mum and wife to a Christian concert; 2) my son came to visit me from the UK; 3) my best friend/sister came (in a surprise fashion) from Malawi); 4) my cousin did the airport transfers for my son (Dulles Airport is a maze!); and gifts, over 300 Facebook wishes and church a sister compiled an amazing rendition of my favorite CeCe Winans song (That’s My King). Each one remembering me in a manner I did not know had even registered in friends and family, but they poured out their love while celebrating me as they knew of me.
Getting back to the UTM elections in wins and the defeats, a recent article took a stand on Kaliati’s failure to secure winning votes on the party’s presidential candidacy as a reflection of “a troubling trajectory in her political career.”
The article further went on to say that “her decline can largely be attributed to a series of unfortunate and controversial statements made over the years.” The author of this pronouncement does not give a single example of the statements, but says the “utterances have been reckless and divisive,” hence marking the end of Kaliati’s over 20-year political career in Malawi.
I refute these allegations and beg to differ from this stand, as other Malawian political analyst pundits must likewise refute this position. Failure is not an indicator of decline in any sector of the human race.
It is merely a turning point. Kaliati, has her legacy etched firmly on Malawi’s political map. She entered the political scene during the UDF party presidency of Dr. Bakili Muluzi, served in Bingu wa Mutharika’s DPP, and is among the founder members of the UTM.
In all three parties, Honorable Patricia’s brand and legacy has been dazzling, brilliant, and remarkable. New UTM leader Kabambe would be walking into the grey zone should he not give Kaliati a role ln the party of when he forms his government upon winning the presidency in 2025. Below are five examples of the Kaliati factor in Malawi politics.
1. As tourism minister in Muluzi’s term, she put backpackers (low-budget foreign tourists) on notice when they were building shantytowns along Malawi’s lakeshore.
At one of the shabby resorts, the owner complained that she had traveled on her inspection tour with journalists, she responded in pure Kaliati style: “Whom did you want me to come here with, my husband?”
2. During Bingu’s early tenure as president and after he had broken away from the UDF (forming the DPP), some UDF politicians threatened me for my writings and MBC Mizwanya radio program in support of Bingu. They said they were making plans to silence me. She was then minister of information. When she learned of this, Kaliati took her the recordings and writings to the President. I shall always recall the support both she and former President Dr. Joyce Banda (then minister of foreign affairs) gave in their interventions.
3. As a diplomat in New York, I was privileged to negotiate in the resolution to end the global malaise of child marriage. As minister of women and children, Kaliati negotiated with her fellow parliamentarians to localize the global ruling on pushing marriage of boys and girls to 18 years. Malawi was the first country to end child marriage through a country law.
4. Still as minister of women and children, Kaliati in 2016 brough a team of champions of advocates in ending child marriage in Malawi. Among them was the globally popular Malawi Child Marriage Terminator, Sr. Chief Theresa Kachindamoto. (She now a global icon in her own right).
5. Kaliati has been the ever-present woman in red UTM regalia since former VP SKC trotted out of the DPP to form the UTM. Through her voice at political party rallies, Kaliati enjoyed a lot of respect, recognition, and resounding support from UTM President SKC. As much as SKC was a crowd puller and exhibited great crown control, Kaliati was and is a rubble-rouser. SKC brand of crown pull was quieter full of proverbs, Kaliati’s brand was loud, distinct, vociferous and raucous. Both styles are grand in their own rights.
Patricia Kaliati firmly etched on Malawi’s political map. UTM needs and can rightly benefit from her distinct and unique brand of political clout.
Osaopa! Osafooka! Osatopa!
In total Agreement with the author’s observation