On Tuesday the UTM Secretary General Patricia Kaliati stressed it out to the people that the Party is prepared and ready in a situation where the high court sitting as constitutional court in the ongoing presidential   election case rules in favor of the party which is also a first petitioner to the case, seconded by Malawi Congress Party (MCP)

Answering  on how the party  managed to penetrate into communities  to the point of becoming  a household  name  within the shortest period of ten months, Kaliati said that it happened because of the visionary leadership of UTM  and of course with the help of  Malawians who believe  in UTM manifesto and those with  the love of their country.

“UTM party is not a personal institution; it is like a train that carry all the people’s dreams of eating thrice a day, having good education and health systems into reality. The party has large support and is willing to serve Malawians when voted into power ,” replied Kaliati.

Following the court’s decision that saw the cases of these two parties merged, there has been a visible relationship between the two parties as MCP leader Lazarus Chakwera has been present at the court when the first petitioner who is also UTM president was being cross checked by MEC lawyers. 

When asked whether the party intends to continue the relationship it has with MCP in the case of a rerun, Kaliati said that they have not yet met as a party to discuss on that and she emphasized that it is too early to talk about that and it would not be proper for her to speak on behalf of the two parties on whether they are to hold hands in case of a fresh election.

Speaking on the leadership of UTM and when asked if UTM is ready to govern this country with the minimal number of MPs it has, Kaliati said that UTM is more than ready and none ion the party is discouraged with the number of MPs that do not reflect original elections results considering the general revelation that the pas elections have had many irregularities.

“We cannot dwell on the number of MPs as what really UTM scored for the fact that many UTM  MPs even forwarded their concerns to the courts , only that the party had mainly sort to petition the court on presidential results .

“We should bear in mind that so far our leader is Dr Saulos Chilima and Malawians has trusted him as the leader who will bring the long awaited change they have been waiting for. We are not going back as the party but continuing and fighting for the good course of this country and we shall keep sharing our promises until Malawi is served,” said Kaliati.

Kaliati was speaking to Carol Whayo in a facebook interview that was streamed live from the United Kingdom where she went for personal and party purposes. She is also expected to have meetings with UTM – Diaspora, UK wing in the scheduled days to come.

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president, Lazarus Chakwera, Thursday told the Constitutional Court sitting in Lilongwe that his petition against May 21 tripartite elections results is not out of desperation for the State presidency but quest for justice.

Chakwera said this when Attorney General (AG) Kalekeni Kaphale, representing Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec), referred Chakwera’s candidature in the elections as his last chance to contest under MCP ticket.

“Being your last opportunity, you understand the temptation maybe there to get the post no matter what,” Kaphale asked.

“I do not succumb to temptations,” Chakwera responded.

Kaphale kept on pressing to the MCP leader on his character but Chakwera insisted that he was at the court to seek justice.

During cross-examination, Kaphale took Chakwera through the roles of monitors and their significance at a polling station.

Kaphale questioned why Chakwera had chosen not to use monitors that were on ground to challenge the validity of results.

“We have witnesses that can represent their cases without necessarily involving them,” Chakwera said.

Kaphale insisted that, without the sworn statements of the monitors on the ground, the evidence of the other witnesses would be secondary.

But Chakwera said, if such were the case, even those working at Mec would speculate the validity of results that were recorded and sent.

Kaphale also asked Chakwera whether the issue of barcodes was provided for in the law.

The AG’s line of questioning on whether Mec was scanning the barcodes at polling centres led to an objection from MCP lawyer Mordecai Msisha, who argued that Chakwera would not know since it was Mec that introduced the features and their significance.

“The witness could not know the significance of the barcodes, it is only Mec that would be in the know [and] not the witness,” he said.

Kaphale argued against overprotection of the witnesses, a development which did not go down well with judges considering that they had given Kaphale just a day out of three days he requested for cross-examination.

Kaphale withdrew the statement.

Chakwera, the second respondent and UTM leader Saulos Chilima, are seeking nullification of the presidential election results, arguing that they were marred by irregularities.