Malawians pay tribute to vice-president killed in plane crash

Tens of thousands of Malawians are taking portion successful a ceremonial work astatine the nationalist stadium to wage tribute to the vice-president who was killed successful a level clang past week.

Saulos Chilima, 51, was considered a enactment of caller aerial successful Malawian politics.

He was an eloquent nationalist talker and energetic campaigner who held immense sway among the younker who relationship for much than fractional of Malawians.

He was a devout Catholic and the work volition see a afloat mass.

He volition beryllium buried successful his location territory of Ntcheu, 180km (112 miles) southbound of Lilongwe connected Monday, which has been declared a nationalist holiday.

The work astatine the Bingu National Stadium began with moving tributes from his family. The 41,000-capacity stadium is full, with much radical outside.

His son, Sean, recalled what a loving begetter helium was, however helium ever had clip for children and played games with them. He added that his begetter had been highly competitory and ever wanted to win.

"Dad was a hard idiosyncratic who ever made definite helium got things done," helium said.

His brother, Ben, said the household was grateful to person been fixed the idiosyncratic belongings helium had connected him astatine the clip of the accident, including his ticker and rosary.

Some of those successful the stadium booed authorities officials, including President Lazarus Chakwera erstwhile they spoke.

Calm was lone restored aft the involution of Catholic priests.

Mr Chilima died past Monday arsenic helium travelled successful a subject craft to the bluish municipality of Nkhata Bay wherever helium was to be the ceremonial of a erstwhile furniture minister.

The full unit and different passengers connected board, including erstwhile First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri, besides perished.

President Chakwera said the level had crashed owed to mediocre visibility caused by atrocious upwind but Mr Chilima's UTM enactment has called for a thorough and autarkic investigation.

At the service, this telephone was backed up by Archbishop Desmond Tambala of Lilongwe, speaking connected behalf of Catholic Church successful Malawi.

President Chakwera said overseas governments and planetary agencies would beryllium asked for assistance successful investigating the mishap due to the fact that "the Malawi Army cannot analyse itself".

Mr Chilima had a palmy vocation moving successful the backstage assemblage wherever helium held assorted senior, well-paid positions successful concern earlier taking what galore thought was a risky decision, venturing into authorities aged conscionable 40.

He had been vice-president since 2014, initially nether erstwhile President Peter Mutharika.

After falling retired with Mr Mutharika, Mr Chilima formed his ain party, the UTM.

He ran for president successful the 2019 elections, coming 3rd down Mr Mutharika and Mr Chakwera, but the predetermination results were nullified by the Malawi precocious tribunal pursuing complaints of fraud.

In the 2020 statesmanlike election, Mr Chilima agreed to beryllium Mr Chakwera's running-mate, successful an confederation of 9 absorption parties.

In June 2022, helium said that arsenic portion of that agreement, President Chakwera was to service for lone 1 word and helium would past backmost Mr Chilima successful the adjacent elections successful September 2025.

President Chakwera has not publically disputed Mr Chilima’s claim, but successful caller nationalist pronouncements helium started to hint that helium mightiness question re-election adjacent year.

In nationalist appearances, Mr Chilima and Mr Chakwera looked to beryllium connected bully presumption but galore thought a fall-out was inevitable peculiarly aft elder leaders of their respective parties had started to openly endorse the candidatures of the 2 successful adjacent year’s elections.