By Chisomo Phiri

The United Transformation Movement (UTM ) party on Saturday evening launched its manifesto titled ‘The People’s Manifesto-The Third Revolution’ at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC ) in Lilongwe.

The manifesto lauch ceremony was attended by the late Vice President Saulos Chilima’s wife,Mary.

Speaking at the ceremony,UTM president Dalitso Kabambe pledged to usher in a new political culture if elected into office.

Kabambe said his administration would immediately introduce key reforms, including mandatory audits of government spending, the removal of presidential immunity from prosecution, and the appointment of highly qualified individuals to lead the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Office of the Auditor General (AG).

The UTM leader further pledged to instruct the AG to carry out a forensic audit of State House, the Malawi Defence Force (MDF), and the Malawi Police Service within the first three months of his presidency.

The audit, he said, would focus on all expenditures above K5 billion incurred over the past five years.

The former Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM ) Governor also painted a bleak picture of poverty and governance failures since independence in 1964.

“Leaders come and go, but 65 out of every 100 Malawians still do not have food. Children remain stunted because of hunger. Successive governments have failed to address this crisis,what moral ground do they have to seek re-election?” asked Kabambe.

He further noted that unemployment affects 90 percent of Malawians, while the same percentage lacks access to electricity.

Another 90 percent, he said, still do not have access to safe drinking water, and 60 percent live in grass-thatched houses.

“Only 15 percent of Malawians are wealthy, and most of them are politicians,” said Kabambe.

The economist accused the current administration of ruining the country through poor leadership and mismanagement.

He said currently,Malawi’s national debt has ballooned from K4 trillion in 2020 to K18 trillion now.

“But this is only what we are being told. The reality could be that the debt is even higher than that,” he said.

Kabambe argued that the country is in disarray, with rising prices of goods and commodities on the market serving as clear indicators of government failure.

He cited the sharp rise in fertilizer prices as an example, warning that if the current administration under the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) continues in power beyond September 16, Malawians should expect fertilizer prices to reach close to K1 million.

Kabambe said the only solution for Malawians is to change leadership.

UTM was founded in 2018 by Chilima who died in June 2024.

Kabambe took the UTM as a present on November 17,2024 after ermeged victorious during the party’s convention.