Vice President Dr. Michael Usi is the man of the moment for the wrong reasons. But for those who cared to read between the lines, it was obvious from the start that the circle would be closing in on him and would eventually have nowhere to run to.
When he was appointed the Vice President by President Lazarus Chakwera following the death of Vice President Saulos Chilima, the future was certain that he had thrown himself at the center of politics and needed the art of political clarity to survive.
Dr. Usi was leading a party that was out of alliance with the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) while serving as Vice President in an MCP-led government. He was a divided, or perhaps a compromised man. His comical speech during the acceptance of the vice presidency at the national assembly in June drew admiration from many people, especially his intention to talk with fellow UTM leadership to sort out the alliance wrangle.
Dr. Usi came out as a man who had recognized the country's major political problem and wanted to take an active role in making things right. But the comfort of the vice presidency had made him forget this promise not knowing that UTM was further drifting away from him. In his early days as the president of the party, Dr. Usi had the power and authority to be listened to by the UTM top brass.
After all, he was the president from the recommendations of the late Saulos Chilima himself. Although UTM's mind was already out of the alliance, Dr. Usi still had the ears of some in the party, maybe. When some UTM leaders announced that they had left the alliance in mid-July, it was clear that UTM politicians had to make their positions clear, and the clock was ticking.
Politics for them was reduced between either MCP or UTM, a decision the likes of Vera Kamtukule made. Since the day she announced that she had joined MCP - perhaps to save her position in the cabinet - Kamtukule dealt with her political turmoil for good. UTM supporters moved on from her and she saved herself from any further controversies. However, Dr. Usi chose the other way thinking that he could please both masters.
As a result, politics has rained down upon him without ceasing. To begin with, there was no way he could have been with or in the government while being with or in UTM at the same time. He tried to make this possible, but this narrowed down his political space, eventually. Seeing that this was a short path, Dr. Usi turned to fighting against UTM to ensure his grip on the party.
His MCP masters seemed happy about this as he was indirectly crippling UTM, MCP's arch-rival to the extent of the alliance discussion. Dr. Usi argued hard against the party's elective convention in Mzuzu in November saying that the convention was against the constitution of the party. However, he has never been clear which part of the party's constitution was violated as he claimed. To further emphasize his point, he never attended or contested for a position at the convention.
The party went on to have the convention that ushered in the Dr. Dalitso Kabambe-led leadership, automatically condemning Dr. Usi to a non-entity in the party. When the party thought that it was done and dusted with Dr. Usi, it was surprising to see Dr. Usi still poking his mouth and mind in the UTM affairs, at least until December 29. But as who? This is the question that seems to have eluded Dr. Usi. The day he asks himself who he is in UTM and answers that the party is miles ahead of him, he will re-evaluate his actions and words for or against the party.
To answer the question for him; Dr. Usi is now a mere member of the party. However, some people claim that since he helped in founding the party and was also its president, he needs to be recognized as a senior member of the party. But as they say, seniority is given, and not claimed. Spectacularly, Dr. Usi keeps addressing people clad in UTM colors during his public appearances. However, with the way MCP is in support of Dr. Usi, one would be tempted to assume that the 'UTM supporters' are a creation of MCP.
To this extent, Dr. Usi is addressing UTM leadership using MCP supporters as his audience. Whatever truth in this suspicion, it is what he is saying during these times that needs to be further discussed. Dr. Usi has proven to be a man who lacks political foresight. From the first day, it was easy for him to know that his politics would be shrinking, and needed to find a way to expand his existence. Recently, he made claims that the current UTM leadership is corrupt, including misplacing money that was given to the party during the funeral of the late Saulos Chilima.
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Dr. Usi has forgotten that he was the leader during this time and any misappropriation of the money speaks more about him as well. When it gets to MCP; the party may not be speaking in clear terms of its position on Dr. Usi, but there is no way MCP will overlook one of its own for the position of running mate in next year's elections. MCP's silence is only to give enough room for Dr. Usi to do the job of fighting against UTM on its behalf.
Then when it matters most, the party will easily abandon him for someone who will have support within the party's ranks. Dr. Usi needs to be wise enough to see this before it happens and tame his politics. In short, Dr. Usi has no future in both UTM and MCP. To make matters worse, he is not charismatic enough to start a party and increase his political stakes.
Dr. Usi is a man who is politically dying, and loudly. The Vice President can convince himself as much as he can, especially as the people clad in UTM colors continue to sing his praises. But he needs to know that he is immersed in a false belief that he still has control and voice over UTM.
Wonderful Mkhutche is a Malawian political scientist and author
