Tonse Alliance agreements unmasked : Chilima to lead during 2025 General Elections

The Vice President of the State and the President of the United Transformation Movement, UTM Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima is expected to be the torch-bearer of the 9-party Tonse Alliance in the forthcoming 2025 General Elections.

This has been unmasked by Dr Chilima himself on 1st July 2022 during the Nation Pressing at UTM offices, Area 10, in Lilongwe where he revealed some of the agreements made by the parties involved in the Tonse Alliance especially, UTM and Malawi Congress Party in 2020.

The Vice President said the UTM did not join the alliance for political convenience rather it was an alliance formed through the will of the people. He added that the alliance was promised on trust and mutual interest.

According to Dr Saulos Chilima, it was agreed during the formation of their alliance with Malawi Congress Party, MCP that they will be equal partners and that President Lazarus Chakwera and Chilima will support each other in their 10-year agreement for each of them to lead one term.

According to Dr Chilima, some of the of the agreements made during the formation of the alliance were the following:

1. for contesting the fresh election as president and running mate, which we
   resolved in the best interest of the nation – there was no place for personal
   priorities, there was a nation before us to be saved and served and a clear
   path to that had been mapped by the people of Malawi
2. to increase the chances of winning the fresh election, which we
   phenomenally achieved together; and importantly,
3. to work together after the election in quest of the parties’ common goals
   of serving the people of Malawi in the attainment of their development
   aspirations.

The Veep also revealed the Guiding principles for the Tonse Alliance which are:

(a)Transparency whereby “UTM and MCP agree to be open with each other and transparent in their dealings with regard to the implementation of [the]Agreement” : clause 2.1.1;

(b)Good faith whereby “UTM and MCP undertake to implement this Agreement in good faith and not to do anything that may frustrate this
Agreement” :clause 2.1.2;

(c)National interest whereby “UTM and MCP agree to implement this Agreement in the interest of national unity and development in accordance with the Constitution and the Laws of Malawi for the benefit of the people of Malawi” :clause 2.1.3;

(d)Unity and togetherness whereby “UTM and MCP agree to be united with a common vision and unity of purpose in the implementation of [the]Agreement” :clause 2.1.4;

(e)Good governance whereby “UTM and MCP undertake to be guided by the principles of good governance, rule of law and respect for human rights in the implementation of [the] Agreement” : clause2.1.5;

(f)Non-discrimination whereby “UTM and MCP undertake not to engage in any form of discrimination of any kind and all appointments pursuant to the implementation of [the] Agreement shall be on merit” :clause 2.1.6;

(g)Mutual trust whereby “UTM and MCP shall ensure constant engagement with each other to build trust and confidence” :clause2.1.7;

(h)Mutual respect whereby “UTM and MCP undertake to respect each other in all undertakings, shall not undermine each other in any other form or way both in public and in private and shall treat each other including their respective members as equals” :clause 2.1.8;

(i)Integrity whereby “UTM and MCP shall execute [the] Agreement with utmost integrity, especially when faced with the choice between what is convenient and what is right;” :clause 2.1.9

(j)Consultation whereby “UTM and MCP shall consult each other thoroughly before any decision that may be deemed crucial by any of the Parties is made” :clause 2.1.10; and

(k)Consensus whereby “UTM and MCP undertake to make decisions [underthe] Agreement by consensus in order to formulate a nationally owned, andbroadly supported, policy position” :clause 2.1.11.

Chilima has hinted that while the option to break the alliance is there in case there is a break-away from the promises made, it would be unfair to Malawians who trusted and voted for them.

He said, if that option is reached, then there will have to be fresh elections which would not be right, as Malawians gave him and President Chakwera, a duty to govern the country.

The State President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera maimed Dr Chilima’s delegation duties as he is suspected to have benefited from UK based businessman Zuneth Sattar’s bribe.

However, Political commentators after hearing some of the agreements made during the formation of the Tonse Alliance have suspected that the President might be exercising his duty to protect his position coming 2025 elections.