Accommodation Scarcity: a burden

The United Transformation Movement (UTM) elective convention is set to take place tomorrow, November 17, 2024, at Chisanga Complex in Mzuzu, with approximately 800 delegates anticipated to attend.

However, the city is facing an accommodation crisis as delegates and supporters have been arriving ahead of the event, leaving hotel and lodge proprietors cashing in on the high demand.

In a surprise move, Vice President Michael Usi, who is also the UTM leader, announced that he will not attend the convention.

Upon his arrival from the COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, Usi stated that he does not want to be party to breaking the party’s rules. “Let them do whatever they want to do,” he said.

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The convention will see four prominent members vying for the party’s top spot: Newton Kambala, Dalitso Kabambe, Dr. Mathews Mtumbuka, and Patricia Kaliati.

A traveler from Blantyre expressed frustration over the accommodation shortage, saying, “We are not here for the UTM convention, but everywhere we go in Mzuzu, accommodation is fully booked.

“The only place we hope to get some space is Ekwendeni, which is roughly 21 kilometers from the city.”

The convention comes after the party resolved its internal differences, reaffirming its commitment to inclusiveness ahead of the elective conferences.