By Rahim Abdul
UTM Party has suffered a setback in Lilongwe Mlodza constituency after its aspiring candidate Chisomo Nkhata, announced that he will not represent the party in the upcoming elections scheduled for next week.
Nkhata revealed that his decision follows the party’s move to submit the name of Shyreen Masanza to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) as its official candidate for the parliamentary race.
Speaking to 247 Malawi News publication,Nkhata said he felt betrayed by the party’s leadership and has since resigned in protest.
“I have been deeply disappointed by how this matter was handled. I expected fairness and transparency but the decision to sideline me has left me with no choice but to leave the party,” he said.
While Nkhata will not contest in next week’s election, he confirmed that he plans to run as an independent candidate in the 2030 general elections.
The development comes at a critical time for UTM, which is under pressure to strengthen its grassroots support ahead of the 2025 general elections.
