UTM party and the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), on Thursday, refused to go into dialogue with President Peter Mutharika to discuss the country’s current political stalemate.

Public Affairs Committee (PAC) officials met UTM President Saulosi Chilima just hours after the quasi-religious body met HRDC leadership to lure them into a round table discussion with Mutharika.

UTM spokesperson, Chidanti Malunga, said the party has made its position not to meet government until elections case outcomes are made and Jane Ansah resigns as electoral body chairperson.

Said Malunga: “Our position is that there will be no peace talks until the court ruling is delivered and Jane Ansah and the whole commission resigns.”

Earlier in the day, PAC also met HRDC leadership who made it clear that the rights activists are not ready to meet Mutharika.

PAC mediation spokesperson, Bishop Gilford Matonga, confirmed the positions of both UTM and HRDC but said the religious body will not give up but engage the two sides to continue with the talks.

Meanwhile the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) through its spokesperson, Eisenhower Mkaka, has refuted that MCP leader, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, has agreed to meet Mutharika as earlier reported by the media.

“There is no way Chakwera is going to meet Mutharika and he made it very clear that he doesn’t recognize Mutharika as president of this country,” he said.

Mkaka further said the meeting between Chakwera and PAC was to give feedback on the proceedings of meetings between PAC and Mutharika.