UTM party Secretary General Patricia Kaliati says the party is not disturbed with the exit of spokesperson, Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo.

In a statement dated November 22, 2022, addressed to Kaliati, Mwenifumbo said he wants to concentrate on his businesses and has therefore no intention to join any political party.

Kaliati told YFM online Wednesday that Mwenifumbo found a strong party when joining and the party is still intact.

Meanwhile, University of Malawi political scientist Ernest Thindwa has described Mwenifumbo’s resignation from the party as not surprising.

Thindwa said Mwenifumbo might have noticed that his chances of being elected to office on UTM party ticket in the next elections are slim hence his exit from the party.

“Malawi’s electoral polling is very much influenced by regional and ethnic partisanship. If you look at parties like MCP they draw much of support from the central region. DPP draws its support from the southern region,” he said.

“If you look at UDF it draws its support from the eastern part of the country and these parties can be sustained for a long time because they have a base which is not the case for UTM and that is why UTM will struggle.”

However, Thindwa said Mwenefumbo’s resignation will not affect UTM party and national politics in any way.

“Hon Frank Mwenefumbo is not one you can claim to have what you would call political cloud,” said Thindwa.