Malawians pay tribute to vice-president wey die for plane crash

Tens of thousands of Malawians dey take part for one funeral service for di national stadium to pay tribute to di vice-president wey bin die for plane crash last week.

Dem consider 51-year-old Saulos Chilima as a breath of fresh air for Malawian politics.

Im be beta public speaker and campaigner wey get energy wey bin hold great influence.

Im bin dey popular well well among di youths wey account for more dan half of Malawians.

Na serious Catholic wey bin dey devoted to service including a full mass.

Dem go bury am for im home district of Ntcheu, wey dey 180km (112 miles) south of Lilongwe on Monday, wey dem don already declare as public holiday.

Di service for di Bingu National Stadium start wit emotional tributes from im family. Di 41,000-capacity stadium full, wit plenti pipo wey dey outside.

Dem cova im coffin wit Malawi red, green and black flag, as dem carry am enta di stadium wit guard of honour.

Im son, Sean, remember how loving im papa be to am and how im dey always get time for children and play games wit dem.

Im add say im father bin dey veri competitive and im want to win evritime.

“My papa na hard worker wey dey make sure im do wetin im suppose do,” im tok.

Im broda Ben say di family dey grateful as dem give dem im personal belongings wey im bin get wen di accident happun, wey include im watch and rosary.

Some of di pipo for di stadium boo goment officials, including President Lazarus Chakwera, wen dia turn reach to tok.

Na di intervention of Catholic priests cool dem down.

Mr Chilima die last Monday as im bin dey travel for one military aircraft to di northern town of Nkhata Bay wia im bin wan attend di burial of one former cabinet minister.

All di crew and oda passengers on board, including former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri, also die.

President Chakwera say di plane bin crash due to poor visibility wey bad weather cause, but Mr Chilima UTM party say make dem chook eye for di plane crash well well as dem dey call for thorough and independent investigation.

For di service, Archbishop Desmond Tambala of Lilongwe, support di call for thorough investigation wen im dey speak on behalf of Catholic Church for Malawi.

President Chakwera say dem go ask foreign goments and international agencies for assistance to investigate di accident becos “di Malawi Army no go fit investigate imsef”.

Chilima political career

Saulos Chilima

Reuters
Saulos Chilima bin dey plan to contest for president next year

Mr Chilima career bin dey successful wen im bin dey work for di private sector wia im bin hold many senior, well-paid positions for business bifor im take wetin many pipo tink say na risky decision, as im chook hand for politics at di young age of 40.

Im be vice-president since 2014, initially under former President Peter Mutharika.

Afta im fall out wit Mr Mutharika, Mr Chilima form im own party, di UTM.

Im contest for president for di 2019 elections, im finish third behind Mr Mutharika and Mr Chakwera, but di Malawian High Court cancel di election sake of complain of mago-mago.

For di 2020 presidential election, Mr Chilima agree to be Mr Chakwera running-mate, inside one alliance (collabo) wit nine opposition parties.

For June 2022, im tok say as part of di agreement, President Chakwera go serve for only one term and im go support Mr Chilima for di next elections for September 2025.

President Chakwera neva deny Mr Chilima claim publicly, but for recent public pronouncements im start to tok say im fit seek re-election next year.

In public appearances, Mr Chilima and Mr Chakwera look like say dem dey in good terms but many pipo tink say anyhow e be kasala go dey especially afta senior leaders of dia different parties bin start to openly confam dia support for di two candidates for next year elections.

Source