Africa-Press – Malawi. The United Transformation Movement (UTM) has landed itself in hot soup after Mulhako wa Alhomwe, one of Malawi’s biggest cultural groupings, accused the party of shamelessly hijacking its structures to advance political ambitions.
In a fiery statement dated 27th August 2025, Mulhako wa Alhomwe Board Chairperson Muchanakhwaye Mpuluka lashed out at UTM leaders, warning them to “desist immediately” from dragging the apolitical cultural institution into partisan battles.
According to the board, UTM operatives have been holding meetings with Mulhako chairpersons and donating motorcycles in exchange for political support. The cultural body also took issue with UTM’s open lobbying that its presidential candidate should be chosen as a running mate for the DPP “just because he comes from the Lhomwe belt” — remarks linked to UTM Secretary General Patricia Kaliati at a rally in Thyolo.
“Using Mulhako wa Alhomwe for political gains is a disgrace. Our structures are for the clan, not for politics. UTM must get organized and use its own party structures instead of hiding behind Mulhako,” Mpuluka thundered.
The warning is not just rhetoric. The board says it will seek legal redress if UTM persists in exploiting cultural platforms for campaign purposes, stressing that Mulhako “does not encourage nepotism” nor meddle in the appointment of running mates, which remains a party leader’s prerogative.
This public rebuke is a major political embarrassment for UTM, which has been banking on tribal and regional inroads to stay afloat after the collapse of the Tonse Alliance. By clashing with Mulhako wa Alhomwe — a powerful cultural force long associated with political mobilization in the Lhomwe belt — UTM risks alienating the very base it has been trying to court.
The statement also highlights UTM’s growing desperation, with critics saying the party is leaning on cultural and tribal affiliations instead of presenting a solid policy-driven campaign.
Mulhako wa Alhomwe has previously expelled members for partisan activism, making it clear that any attempt to drag it into politics will be met with swift punishment.
The message to UTM is loud and clear: hands off Mulhako — or face the consequences.
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