Malawi to observe a 21-day mourning period following the VP’s death
Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has declared a 21-day mourning period beginning Tuesday in honour of Vice President Saulos Chilima, who died in a plane crash on Monday.
Chakwera also directed that all flags be flown at half-mast during the mourning period.
“Further details regarding funeral arrangements will be communicated in due course,” Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba said in a statement.
Chilima died with nine other officials on board a military plane near Chikangawa, Mzimba.
The Malawian Defence Force said the aircraft ‘went off radar’ after leaving Lilongwe on Monday morning.
The plane left Lilongwe at 9.17 a.m. but did not arrive at Mzuzu International Airport at 10.02 a.m. as scheduled.
Chilima became Vice President on May 30, 2014. On June 28, 2020, he was sworn into his second term.
Chilima became the first Malawian to lead Airtel Malawi, the country’s leading mobile telecommunications company.
Before entering the telecommunications industry, he held senior sales marketing positions in the banking and fast-moving consumer goods sectors, including the Leasing and Finance Company, Unilever Malawi, Coca-Cola, and Carlsberg.
Chilima was married and leaves two children.
Malawi to observe a 21-day mourning period following the VP’s death
