In a Facebook video (which can be accessed here) posted by Bakili Muluzi Tv, Usi addressed several challenges and outlined what his platform stood for. He used a lot of indirect speech to make his allegations, but did not name names. This was during campaigning in Mulanje, a town in the Southern Region of Malawi, close to the border with Mozambique.

Below are the key takeaways from his speech, for the benefit of people who do not understand Chichewa:

• Michael Usi began by saying “they” have started mistreating him. Ofcourse the crowd understood what he meant, even without specifying.

• He revealed that the reconnaissance vehicle he had for his security detail – which used to go ahead of the main convoy, has been confiscated [ presumably by the government] and given to someone who is not a Vice President. {Later on yesterday, Moses Kunkuyu, Malawi’s Minister on Information expertly fended off a question from Cathy Maulidi about this when asked in a press conference, that he was still trying to ascertain the facts about the issue, but that he was glad that the presidency was speaking with one vice, but Malawians were waiting to be shown where exactly the corruption was}
• Usi said he wants thieves [presumably in Government] to be jailed [Because he has mentioned several times about this issue]
• He says he wants those who are not working to be fired.
• He says he wants foreigners who are in Malawi, who are stealing from “us” to expelled from the country
• He says the reasons where is shortage of commodities like fuel, is because of theft. He says when issues of procurement of oil is involved, instead of the person responsible for purchasing going to get the oil, you fin others who go to [Presumably he’s talking about the abuse of government travel allowances, but we’re not sure]
• He says his security detail has been asked to surrender their weapons (guns), and questioned the reasoning behind this.
• Usi then quotes several bible verses.
• He then played a leaked audio of someone speaking and warning “others in some forum” to refrain from the rhetoric about killing Usi. The person mentions “Phakamisa” [presumably this refers to Eric Phakamisa – referred to in the image below by Nyasaland News in relation to this same audio. Phakamisa was arrested in regards to violence attacks on opposition-led demonstrations in Lilongwe 4 months ago, but we don’t know whether this is who the person in the audio refers to] and talks about things which were being heard in that forum, about ‘Manganya asowe’ [Manganya should disappear], Manganya must be disciplined, Manganya agwesa chipani [Manganya will bring down the party]… Manganya is the name which Michael Usi used/ uses, when he was a comedian. People still fondly call him that.

• Usi then cuts the audio short, but asked his PA team to play a song, to which he and the masses danced and seemed to enjoy.
• He then talks about how he entered politics not to get wealth. He mentions several of his achievements including being invited to the European Parliament to give a speech.
• He then quoted a couple of proverbs, and how he thanks God…

Important Context

Malawi, since the dawn of multiparty democracy has had this unique and troubling phenomena where the President and Vice President initially get along, and have a good relationship, but that cordiality soon enough disintegrates, and they fall-out and stop seeing eye to eye. This was true of the relationship between Bakili Muluzi and Justin Malewezi (his first vice President), Bakili Muluzi and Bingu Wa Mutharika (who was handpicked by Muluzi to be his successor – after Muluzi’s second term), Bingu Wa Mutharika and Cassim Chilumpha, Bingu Wa Mutharika and Joyce Banda, Peter Wa Mutharika and Saulos Chilima, Lazarus Chakwera and Saulos Chilima, and now Lazarus Chakwera and Michael Usi.

As you can see, quite the list, and so far it looks like there will be lots of revelations in this Election’s campaign season.

In terms of the fallout, I think its only Khumbo Kachali, who was Joyce Banda’s Vice President (and the first Vice President from the northern region of Malawi) who didn’t publicly fall out with his boss.