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State Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima who is also leader of newly formed United Transformation Movement (UTM) has refused to resign when he appeared on Hard Talk interview on British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) hosted by Zeinab Badawi on Friday.
Chilima’s refusal comes barely hours after Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) under the banner of joint Civil Society Platform on Governance demanded for his resignation for the UK trip, saying he is undermining the President Peter Mutharika administration.
In the interview, Chilima said the Vice President Office is protected by the constitution of the land.
“The office of the Vice President is a delegated office constitutionally. So as I sit here and when I get back home I still go to the office and report for duties. I am still in that office,” Chilima was quoted as saying.
When asked as to why he is challenging the incumbent President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, the very same man he stood with in the May 20, 2014 tripartite election as his runningmate.
Chilima calmly said: “Times changes.”
Turning to Presidential ambitions, Chilima said by standing in the forthcoming 2019 tripartite election he want to exercise his constitutional right.
The interview has taken the social media by storm with some believed to be Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadets criticizing him while some are supporting him.
