By Yohane Symon & Feston Malekezo:
State Vice President Michael Usi, who is also one of the UTM party founders and members, has accused the party’s leadership of being obsessed with the practice of sending official communication to individuals through the social media.
He said the best way would be to be sending individuals official communication before using channels such as the social media.
Usi made the remarks in an interview in reaction to a letter that was circulating on social media.
The disciplinary committee of the UTM party has summoned him to answer two charges relating to bringing divisions into the party and supporting another party.
UTM publicist Felix Njawala confirmed the development.
The summons, signed by UTM director of legal affairs Charles Thole, alleges that Usi has behaved in a manner that provokes, or is likely to provoke, divisions within the party.
Additionally, the State Vice President is being accused of supporting a political organisation or party, other than an organisation that is in an alliance with UTM.
The disciplinary hearing has been scheduled for Monday, December 30 2024, at the UTM head office in Lilongwe.
“You are at liberty to appear before the committee with the company of your counsel. Your absence will be construed as a lack of defence and the committee will enter a verdict against you without further ado,” the summon reads.
On the particulars of the charge, UTM alleges that Usi mobilised supporters who were wearing UTM regalia to a government function despite the termination of the political coalition between UTM and the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Additionally, it is alleged that Usi, during a voter registration mobilisation meeting in Mwanza District, urged his followers to support and vote for the MCP, echoing the party’s slogan “Boma ndi lomweli”.
However, Usi told The Daily Times that it was strange that the letter was seen circulating on social media, yet he was yet to be served with it by the party.
“I have seen the letter summoning me to the hearing through the social media. What I can say is that this is very unfortunate because this is not how communication is handled.
“I am surprised that most communication from UTM ends up on the social media before reaching the intended people,” he said.
Usi challenged the party to stop doing things unprofessionally if unity were to prevail in it.
Usi could not be drawn to say whether he would attend the hearing, saying his focus now was on helping President Lazarus Chakwera find solutions to challenges that Malawi is facing so that people’s lives could improve.
“We have the people of Malawi to serve because these positions were given to us by God and not individuals.
“So, I have no time to respond to letters in the social media yet I have a home and an office where people can send me letters and anything,” Usi said.
Commenting on the matter, political commentator George Chaima said the party needed to recognise that Usi was not an ordinary person.
Chaima said Usi had a following, having held a top position in the party.
“Undoubtedly, he has followers within and outside the party,” he said.
On Sunday, Usi accused some UTM officials of betraying late vice president Saulos Chilima by allegedly failing to utilise resources, claims Njawala trashed, saying most of the party’s senior officials turned down offers from the governing MCP.
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