By Burnett Munthali
Firstly, Dr. Michael Usi, the current president of UTM, was selected to be the running mate of the late president. Unlike other party leaders, such as Kaliati, who were elected through party conventions, Usi’s appointment was not through such a democratic process.
despite his role as UTM president, Usi lacks support from the Central Executive Committee
Secondly, despite his role as UTM president, Usi lacks support from the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and the National Executive Committee (NEC). These bodies play a crucial role in party decisions and leadership support.
Thirdly, Dr. Usi does not have the authority to suspend members of the party. Only the CEC has the power to suspend members, including Usi himself if necessary.
Fourthly, Usi cannot call for a party convention independently. Such decisions are reserved for the Executive Committee. Both the late president and Usi had conventions called by the CEC and NEC, not by Usi or the late president alone.
Fifthly, the situation with Namkumwa and APM should not be used as a comparison. APM had backing from the CEC and NEC, whereas Namkumwa was only a vice-president of the party, not in the same position of authority. The contexts are distinctly different and should not be conflated.