By Burnett Munthali
Dickson Kashoti, a prominent social media propagandist for the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), has stirred political debate with his bold statement urging President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera to take decisive action against officials linked to the now-defunct Tonse Alliance.
In a recent post, Kashoti called on President Chakwera to immediately fire all United Transformation Movement (UTM) ministers, as well as former members of other Tonse Alliance political parties who currently hold cabinet positions. He further advocated for the dismissal and recall of their appointees in government institutions, State House roles, and diplomatic missions abroad.
Kashoti warned that delays in addressing these issues could have severe political repercussions for the president and his administration. “Delaying making a tangible decision on these matters can politically backfire,” he wrote, emphasizing that former Tonse Alliance parties appear to be engaging in tactics aimed at undermining the government.
He expressed concerns over recent resignations by officials linked to the Tonse Alliance, calling them a calculated political strategy to embarrass the president’s leadership.
“If we don’t fire them from their public positions, they will be embarrassing us with their resignations. This is a calculated political move to embarrass the servant leadership,” Kashoti asserted.
Kashoti’s remarks reflect growing tensions within the remnants of the Tonse Alliance, a coalition that brought Chakwera to power in 2020 but has since unraveled amid internal disagreements. He did not mince words in declaring the alliance effectively dead:
“Banja likatha, latha basi, palibe chifukwa choti tiwasunge m’boma, kapena tiwamvere chisoni. Ndiope ndani?” (Once a marriage is over, it’s over. There is no reason to keep them in government or sympathize with them. Who should we fear?)
Kashoti’s strong stance underscores the mounting pressure on Chakwera to consolidate his leadership ahead of the 2025 elections. His call for a cabinet purge signals a desire within the MCP to distance itself from former allies and assert dominance over government operations.
As the president weighs his options, the political fallout from these developments will be closely watched, with implications for governance, party unity, and public perception of his administration.
