Africa-Press – Malawi. The question of whether UTM would have left the Tonse Alliance if Saulos Chilima were still alive reveals much about the party’s current turmoil and the quiet strategy he had in place. The truth is, had Chilima been alive today, UTM would likely still be part of the Tonse Alliance, standing firmly behind President Lazarus Chakwera in the 2025 elections.
After the 2020 elections, many UTM officials grew frustrated with the alliance and wanted to pull the party out. Yet Chilima resisted these calls. Despite pressure and advice to break away from MCP, he remained silent and focused. That silence was not confusion or indecision — it was a carefully crafted plan.
What few understood was that Chilima knew he faced a significant legal barrier: the law does not allow someone to serve more than two terms as Vice President, which meant he could not run again as a running mate in 2025. Without the option to contest for president or vice president, Chilima recognized that UTM’s chances of winning on its own were slim.
Instead of breaking the alliance, Chilima’s strategy was to support Chakwera’s presidential bid, even though he would not be on the ticket. His hope was that, once re-elected, MCP would assist him by amending the law in Parliament — either to allow him to run again in the future or to create a new influential position, such as Prime Minister, that he could occupy.
This is why Chilima never publicly attacked MCP or Chakwera. He needed the alliance — not just for the 2025 elections but for his long-term political future. His silence was strategic, aimed at keeping the party united and the plan intact, even if many within UTM did not understand it.
After Chilima’s death, UTM’s leadership, lacking this strategic vision, quickly moved to sever ties with MCP. The party became angry, confused, and fractured. Without Chilima’s steady hand, the alliance unraveled.
Many UTM supporters now act as though Chilima was preparing to break away from MCP all along. But there is no evidence to support that. Everything points to the fact that he intended to stay in the alliance because he needed MCP more than they needed him.
Chilima’s death abruptly ended his carefully laid plan. Now, UTM is struggling to find its way forward, and the only person who truly understood the path — Saulos Chilima — is no longer here.
Rest in peace, Saulos Chilima. You were always thinking ahead, even when others didn’t see it.
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