Malawi pays tribute to their vice-president Saulos Chilima

Malawi pays tribute to their vice-president Saulos Chilima

Tens of thousands of Malawians gathered at the national stadium for a funeral service honoring Vice-President Saulos Chilima, who died in a plane crash last week.

Chilima, 51, was regarded as a refreshing figure in Malawian politics, known for his eloquence and energetic campaigning, particularly appealing to the youth who make up more than half of the population.

During the service, President Lazarus Chakwera pledged a thorough investigation into the crash’s cause, seeking assistance from foreign governments.

“I also have the same questions that Malawians have,” he stated. Previously, Chakwera attributed the crash to poor visibility due to bad weather, but Chilima’s UTM party has demanded a comprehensive and independent inquiry.

While the Malawian military will conduct an investigation, Chakwera acknowledged the need for an independent probe as well.

The atmosphere at Bingu National Stadium, filled to its 41,000 capacity with additional mourners outside, grew tense when Chakwera and other officials were booed by some attendees.

Calm was restored by Catholic priests, reflecting Chilima’s devout Catholic faith, and the service included a full mass.

Chilima’s coffin, draped in Malawi’s red, green, and black flag, was carried into the stadium by a guard of honor.

Family members delivered heartfelt tributes. His son, Sean, reminisced about his father’s loving nature, noting how he always made time for his children and played games with them, highlighting his competitive spirit.

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His brother, Ben, expressed gratitude for receiving Chilima’s personal belongings from the crash site, including his watch and rosary.

Chilima will be buried in his home district of Ntcheu, 180km south of Lilongwe, on Monday, a day declared a public holiday.

He died while en route to Nkhata Bay for the funeral of a former cabinet minister. All on board the flight, including former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri, also perished.

Before entering politics, Chilima had a successful career in the private sector, holding senior positions before taking a leap into politics at 40.

He served as vice-president since 2014 under former President Peter Mutharika.

After a fallout with Mutharika, Chilima founded his own party, the UTM, and ran for president in 2019, finishing third. The election results were annulled by the Malawi high court due to fraud allegations.

In the 2020 presidential election, Chilima became Chakwera’s running mate as part of a nine-party opposition alliance.

In June 2022, Chilima asserted that Chakwera had agreed to serve only one term, backing Chilima in the 2025 elections.

Though Chakwera has not publicly disputed this, he has hinted at seeking re-election.

Publicly, Chilima and Chakwera appeared to maintain good relations, but tensions seemed inevitable as senior leaders from both parties began endorsing their respective candidates for the next year’s elections.

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