Corruption suspect Saulos Klaus Chilima is said to be using his role as Vice President to stir trouble for government by sponsoring impending civil servants industrial action via his Ngoni tribesmen, Malawi Gazette has learnt.
Over the past week the Civil Service Trade Union (CSTU) through its president, Madalitso Njolomole, has threatened to go to the street as one way of forcing government to meet some of their demands within a specific period.
Interestingly, Njolomole is an ardent UTM supporter and close friends with Chilima from years back. He is probably the readiest person there is to cause trouble for Chilima’s enemies as the whims of his master.
The two come from way back through their association to the Ngoni Maseko Cultural Heritage. Being boys from Ntcheu, Chilima and Njolomole have found themselves as Impis of Inkosi Gomani V. Impis are the top most tier of assistants who are appointed by the Inkosi himself from across the social fabric.
The two, therefore, share similar values and speak one language even outside their cultural jurisdiction. Malawi Gazette learns that Chilima and Njolomole have been holding frequent meetings after the former was arrested for corruption by the Anti Corruption Bureau last month.
As a ploy to survive politically, the Vice President has been seeking convenient ways through which he can score quick political marks by discrediting the Lazarus Chakwera-led administration.
It is through this panic that Njolomole, the homeboy, has come in handy because of his role at CSTU.
“With Njolomole at the helm of the civil servants body, Chilima has found some relief and opportunity to torture the Malawi Congress Party-led government. He feels aggrieved for his arrest and is trying all he can to get even with anyone who he feels has a hand in his downfall,” says one UTM insider who has kept track of the meetings between Njolomole and Chilima.
This is not the first time that UTM is sponsoring public disturbance events in this country. In 2022, UTM has sponsored a number of flopped demonstrations through various mercenary civil society organisations.