Suleman Chitera 
Dalitso Kabambe, one of the presidential aspirant for the UTM party, has called on delegates to vote for visionary leaders at the upcoming elective conference.
Speaking to Bua Central Region delegates in Kasungu District, he expressed confidence in his ability to lead the party to victory in the 2025 general elections.
“I’m very optimistic that if I am voted into the UTM presidential seat and win next year’s polls, my experience will help address the challenges Malawians face today,” Kabambe stated.
UTM Bua Central Region Governor Gerald Mbewe hailed Kabambe’s remarks, underscoring the need for intelligent leadership to ensure the party’s success.
The UTM party’s 2024 elective conference is scheduled for November 17.
Other news
- Rhodrick Junaid Kalumpha and the 2030 Question: Is Malawi Ready for a New Political Generation?
By Malawi Freedom Network
As Malawi begins looking beyond the current political cycle, one question is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: what kind of leadership will Malawians demand when the country goes to the polls in 2030?
The answer may not come only from the traditional political establishment.
A new generation of political voices is gradually entering Malawi’s national conversation, and among the names attracting growing attention is Rhodrick Junaid Kalumpha.
For his supporters, Kalumpha represents something different — a younger political voice associated with community engagement, philanthropy, entrepreneurship and an ambition to participate more actively in shaping Malawi’s future.
But the significance of his growing profile goes beyond one individual.
It speaks to a much bigger political question: Can a new generation of leaders redefine the conversation ahead of 2030?
2030 IS ALREADY BECOMING THE NEXT BIG POLITICAL TEST
Although the 2030 general election is still years away, political positioning has already begun.
Parties are rebuilding structures. Political figures are strengthening relationships. Young people are becoming more vocal about the future they want. And across the country, voters are increasingly interested in leaders who can demonstrate what they can actually do.
Rhodrick Junaid Kalumpha This creates an opening for individuals who can combine political ambition with visible engagement in society.
That is where Kalumpha’s name enters the conversation.
Rather than waiting for the 2030 campaign season, his supporters argue that leadership should be demonstrated long before election posters appear on the streets.
FROM POLITICAL PROMISES TO VISIBLE ACTION
One of the strongest elements of Kalumpha’s emerging public image has been his involvement in community initiatives.
His recent intervention at Mangochi District Hospital, where he provided heating oils that enabled electric cooking equipment to resume operations, has been highlighted as an example of practical intervention rather than political rhetoric.
For supporters, such actions demonstrate an important principle:
Leadership should begin before holding public office.
The argument is straightforward. If an individual wants to influence the direction of a country tomorrow, citizens have a right to examine what that person is doing today.
This does not automatically translate into political success.
But it creates a foundation upon which political credibility can potentially be built.
THE YOUTH QUESTION
Malawi’s political future will inevitably involve its young population.
Young Malawians are demanding jobs, business opportunities, better education, technological advancement and a stronger economy.
They are also becoming less interested in politics based purely on personalities and traditional slogans.
The 2030 generation is likely to ask harder questions.
What is your economic vision?
How will you create jobs?
How will you support entrepreneurs?
What will you do about education?
How will you improve healthcare?
How will you fight corruption?
And perhaps most importantly:
What have you actually done before asking us to trust you with power?
These questions could create opportunities for leaders capable of presenting themselves as practical problem-solvers rather than simply political personalities.
WHY KALUMPHA IS ATTRACTING ATTENTION
Kalumpha’s growing visibility comes at a time when Malawi’s political landscape is preparing for another major transformation.
His supporters see him as part of a generation that wants to move beyond the traditional political script.
They point to his public engagement, business interests, philanthropic activities and willingness to speak on national issues as elements of a potentially broader leadership profile.
His previous public commentary has also included criticism of government policy and questions about the feasibility of major social programmes, demonstrating an increasing willingness to participate in national policy debates.
That combination — public engagement, policy commentary and community intervention — could become important if his political ambitions continue to develop.
BUT 2030 WILL DEMAND MORE THAN POPULARITY
There is an important distinction between becoming popular and becoming politically credible.
Malawi has seen many individuals attract attention before disappearing from the political stage.
If Kalumpha wants to become a serious figure in the 2030 conversation, the next four years will be critical.
He will need to demonstrate consistency.
He will need a clear political philosophy.
He will need policies that go beyond general promises.
He will need to demonstrate an understanding of Malawi’s economy, agriculture, education, healthcare, youth unemployment, infrastructure and governance.
And above all, he will need to convince citizens that his political ambitions are about more than personal advancement.
THE 2030 OPPORTUNITY
The most interesting part of Kalumpha’s story is therefore not whether he is already a presidential candidate or whether he has secured a particular political position.
It is what his emergence represents.
Malawi is entering a period in which the next generation of political leaders will increasingly demand space.
The established political class will remain influential.
But younger voices are unlikely to remain spectators forever.
They will want to participate.
They will want to lead.
And they will want to influence the direction of the country.
Kalumpha appears determined to position himself within that conversation.
Whether that journey eventually leads him to the highest levels of national politics remains to be seen.
But the political groundwork is already beginning.
THE ROAD TO 2030
The 2030 election will not be won today.
But the leadership that Malawians choose in 2030 will be shaped by what politicians and aspiring leaders do between now and then.
That makes the present period extremely important.
It is the time for building credibility.
It is the time for engaging communities.
It is the time for developing ideas.
It is the time for demonstrating leadership.
And it is the time for the next generation to decide whether it will simply complain about Malawi’s problems — or become part of the generation determined to solve them.
For Rhodrick Junaid Kalumpha, the opportunity is clear.
If he wants to become one of the defining political voices of Malawi’s 2030 generation, the journey starts now.
The question is no longer simply who will contest in 2030.
The bigger question is:
Who will spend the next four years proving that they deserve to lead Malawi into the next decade?
Kalumpha has entered that conversation.
Now the country will be watching what he does next.
- NBM plc strengthens regional footprint at Mozambique trade fair
By Suleman Chitera
National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc is stepping up efforts to strengthen its regional business footprint through participation at the 61st Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM) in Mozambique, positioning itself as a potential financial partner for businesses pursuing opportunities beyond Malawi’s borders.
The FACIM, which run from August 31 to September 6,2026 was being held under the theme ‘Digital and Energy Transformation towards a Sustainable Economy’, highlighting the growing importance of technology, innovation and sustainable investment in driving economic development.
NBM plc’s participation received a high-level endorsement on Monday when President of the Republic of Mozambique, His Excellency Daniel Chapo, visited the bank’s stand at the Ricatla International Trade Fair and Exhibition Centre in Marracuene.
During the visit, Chapo engaged with the NBM plc team, welcomed the bank to Mozambique and assured its representatives of his support during the international trade fair.
Chapo-Left-engaging-with-NBM-plc-representative-Eric-Bob-Munthali-during-the-Maputo-International-Trade-fairFACIM- The bank’s presence at FACIM comes as businesses across the region increasingly seek financial solutions that can support expansion, cross-border trade and investment while adapting to a rapidly changing business environment.
NBM plc Senior Manager in Retail Banking Division Eric Bob Munthali said the fair provides the bank with an opportunity to engage businesses on the role of financial services in supporting regional growth and sustainable economic development.
“Being part of FACIM allows us to connect with businesses that are looking beyond their traditional markets and to understand the kind of financial support they need to grow, invest and participate in regional trade,” said Munthali .
He said the fair’s focus on digital and energy transformation also speaks to the changing needs of businesses and the importance of financial institutions in enabling investment in emerging opportunities.
“The digital and energy transformation is particularly relevant because businesses need innovative and sustainable ways of financing their growth. As a bank, we see an opportunity to support enterprises that are embracing new technologies and investing in areas that can contribute to long-term economic growth,”said Munthali.
Munthali further said NBM plc is also using the platform to strengthen relationships with potential partners and identify opportunities that could deepen economic links between Malawi and Mozambique.
“Our presence here is about building relationships, identifying opportunities and positioning NBM plc as a partner for businesses pursuing growth within Malawi and across the region,” he said.
The bank is showcasing its financial solutions while engaging exhibitors, investors and other stakeholders on opportunities for collaboration and cross-border business.
FACIM is Mozambique’s largest international trade and investment fair, bringing together businesses, investors, government and other stakeholders from across the region and beyond
- My Warning to the DPP: Internal Wars and Political Camps Will Kill Your Chances in 2030 — Imran Jumbe
By Our Reporter
My warning to the DPP government is blunt: stop fighting yourselves before you destroy the very political mandate Malawians gave you.
The politics of factions, camps, sycophancy and internal power struggles will not save the DPP in 2030. If anything, they could be the very things that cost you the next election.
Stop creating political sects within your own party. Stop competing among yourselves for the President’s attention and favour while ordinary Malawians are struggling to survive.
Political loyalty is not measured by who praises the President the loudest.
It is not measured by who sits closest to him.
It is not measured by who can destroy a fellow party member’s political career or outmanoeuvre the next person.
Leadership is measured by delivery.
And right now, the question being asked by ordinary Malawians is brutally simple:
WHERE IS THE GOVERNMENT?
People are going without reliable electricity.
Access to water remains a daily struggle.
Smallholder farmers are approaching the farming season with anxiety and uncertainty.
Fertilizer and other agricultural inputs are becoming increasingly unaffordable for many ordinary farmers.
These are not political talking points.
These are people’s lives.
These are parents worrying about what they will feed their children tomorrow. They are farmers wondering how they will plant their fields. They are young people desperately searching for jobs and opportunities. They are ordinary citizens asking when government will finally confront the economic pain destroying household incomes.
Yet while Malawians are battling these realities, some people within the DPP appear increasingly obsessed with building camps, settling internal scores, fighting for influence and positioning themselves for political favour.
That is a dangerous distraction.
Malawians did not vote for political theatre. They voted for a government.
They brought the DPP into power because they wanted change.
They wanted a government that would restore hope, strengthen the economy, make basic services work, support farmers and create opportunities for ordinary citizens.
They did not vote for DPP leaders to spend their time fighting one another over who is more powerful, who is closer to the President or who controls which political camp.
YOU WERE ELECTED TO GOVERN — NOT TO FIGHT FOR POLITICAL RELEVANCE.
Let us be absolutely clear.
Malawians cannot eat politics.
They cannot drink promises.
They cannot irrigate their fields with political loyalty.
They cannot pay school fees with praise for the President.
They cannot switch on their electricity by shouting the President’s name.
They need electricity.
They need water.
They need affordable fertilizer and farm inputs.
They need jobs.
They need food security.
They need business opportunities.
Above all, they need a government that understands the pain they are experiencing and has the courage to act.
The DPP must therefore wake up before it is too late.
Your greatest political threat may not be sitting on the opposition benches.
Your greatest threat could be inside your own house.
A government consumed by factionalism eventually loses sight of the people.
A party obsessed with political camps eventually forgets why it was elected.
And a leadership surrounded by people whose primary objective is to please the President rather than tell him the truth risks becoming completely disconnected from the realities facing ordinary citizens.
STOP THE FACTIONALISM.
STOP THE SYCOPHANCY.
STOP THE INTERNAL POWER WARS.
STOP COMPETING OVER WHO IS CLOSEST TO THE PRESIDENT.
Instead, compete over who can deliver the most for Malawi.
Let ministers compete over who can transform their ministries.
Let MPs compete over who can improve their constituencies.
Let party officials compete over who can solve problems.
Let leaders compete over who can create jobs, improve agriculture, restore reliable electricity, expand access to water and put money back into the pockets of ordinary Malawians.
That is the competition Malawi needs.
Because history will not remember how many people formed camps around the President.
History will not remember who shouted the loudest in praise of the leadership.
History will remember whether this government changed people’s lives.
The DPP has a mandate.
Use it wisely.
Do not waste it on internal wars.
Do not squander it on political ego.
Do not sacrifice the country’s future on the altar of factional politics.
The clock is already ticking towards 2030.
If you continue fighting yourselves while Malawians struggle, do not be shocked when the same people who gave you power decide to take it away.
Fix Malawi.
That is why you were given the mandate.
That is what Malawians expect.
And that is what history will judge you on.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
My pen 🖊️ is mightier than a sword.
— Imran Jumbe
- DPP revolt: Party loyalists cry foul over alleged betrayal
By Our Reporter
“We Built This Party, But Strangers Are Now Enjoying the Fruits”
BLANTYRE — A storm is brewing within the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), with some long-serving supporters accusing the party of turning its back on the very people who sacrificed their time, money and energy to build its political machinery.
The disgruntled supporters claim that individuals who remained loyal to the DPP during difficult political periods are being pushed to the sidelines, while people who allegedly did little or nothing for the party are now enjoying positions and influence.
The growing frustration has triggered a blunt question inside the party: Has the DPP forgotten the people who built it?
According to the concerned supporters, the problem is not simply about appointments or political positions. They argue that it is about recognition, loyalty and fairness.
“Those who never worked for the DPP are benefiting at the expense of those who struggled for the party to win. Those who suffered have been thrown aside. That is the problem with the DPP,” the supporters complain.
The accusations paint a picture of a party where some grassroots loyalists feel increasingly abandoned after years of political work.
‘WE SUFFERED, NOW OTHERS ARE BENEFITING’
The supporters argue that political parties cannot expect grassroots members to remain loyal during difficult times if, once opportunities arise, they are overlooked in favour of newcomers or individuals perceived to have made little contribution to the party.
They say this risks creating resentment among long-serving members and could weaken the party’s grassroots mobilisation.
For them, the issue is simple: those who carried the party when it was struggling should not be forgotten when the political rewards come.
WARNING TO DPP LEADERSHIP
The latest complaints could fuel an increasingly uncomfortable debate within the DPP over how the party recognises loyalty and distributes political opportunities.
Supporters are demanding greater transparency in appointments and stronger recognition for members who have consistently worked for the party at grassroots level.
They argue that failure to address the concerns could leave committed members feeling betrayed and discourage others from investing their time and resources in the party.
The central question now facing the DPP is whether it can rebuild trust with the loyalists who believe they have been abandoned.
THE BIG QUESTION
Who is really benefiting from the DPP — the people who built it, or those who arrived after the hard work had already been done?
That question is likely to generate heated debate among party supporters as the DPP seeks to strengthen its political structures and position itself for future electoral battles.
For the disgruntled loyalists, however, the message is already clear:
“We suffered for this party. We built it. We stood with it. Now we want to know why we are the ones being pushed aside.”
- DPP yataya omwe anavutika nayo
Olemba Mtolankhani wathu
Otsatira Akudandaula: “Osagwira Ntchito Ndiwo Akudyelera Omwe Anamangirira Chipanichi”
BLANTYRE — Pakati pa otsatira a chipani cha Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) pakumveka madandaulo akuti anthu ena omwe anathandiza kwambiri chipanichi pa nthawi zovuta akuyamba kusiyidwa pambali, pomwe ena omwe sanagwire nawo ntchito kwa nthawi yayitali akupatsidwa mwayi waukulu.
Otsatira ena akuti limodzi mwa mavuto omwe chipanichi chikukumana nawo ndi kulephera kuzindikira ndi kupereka mwayi kwa anthu omwe anathera nthawi, mphamvu ndi chuma chawo pothandiza kuti DPP ikhale ndi mphamvu.
Iwo akudandaula kuti anthu ena omwe “anavutika ndi DPP” akuwoneka ngati aiwalika, pomwe anthu omwe sanakhale nawo pa nthawi zovuta akuyamba kukhala ndi maudindo komanso mwayi wambiri.
“Yemwe sanagwire ntchito ku DPP ndiye akudyelera omwe anavutikira DPP kuti ipambane. Omwe anavutika anatayidwa pambali, ndipo limeneli ndi vuto la DPP,” akutero otsatira omwe akudandaula za mmene zinthu zikuyendera m’chipanichi.
Malinga ndi otsatirawo, chipani chilichonse chimafunika kukhala ndi njira yodziwira ndi kulemekeza anthu omwe amachita ntchito ya chipani kuyambira pansi, makamaka pa nthawi yomwe chipanicho chikukumana ndi mavuto.
Iwo akuti ngati anthu amene akhala akugwira ntchito mokhulupirika kwa zaka zambiri akupitiriza kumva kuti sakuzindikiridwa, zingayambitse kukhumudwa komanso kuchepetsa chidwi cha anthu ena chogwira ntchito ya chipani.
Madandaulowa akubweretsanso funso lalikulu lakuti: Kodi DPP ikupereka mwayi wokwanira kwa anthu omwe anamangirira chipanichi, kapena mphamvu ndi maudindo zikupita kwa anthu atsopano?
Kwa otsatira ena, nkhaniyi si yokhudza munthu m’modzi kapena gulu limodzi, koma ndi nkhani ya momwe chipani chiyenera kusamalira anthu ake komanso momwe chimaperekera mwayi kwa omwe achita nawo ntchito.
Komabe, madandaulowa akufunika kuyankhidwa ndi atsogoleri a DPP kuti afotokoze momwe amasankhira anthu pa maudindo komanso ngati pali njira yodziwira ntchito yomwe mamembala akale achita.
Pakadali pano, mawu oti “tinavutika ndi DPP koma tayiwalika” akupitiriza kukhala dandaulo lomwe lingayambitse mkangano pakati pa otsatira ngati silingayankhidwe bwino.
Kwa chipani chomwe chikufuna kulimbitsa maziko ake komanso kukonzekera nkhondo za ndale zamtsogolo, otsatira akuti kukhulupirika, ntchito ndi kudzipereka kwa mamembala akale siziyenera kuyiwalika.
Read also: UDF’s Atupele Muluzi Slams Leadership Over Silence on Economic Crisis
Read also: Women’s Representation Gains Momentum as Malawi Elections Approach
