Tuesday June 11, 2024, Malawian President, Lazarus Chakwera announced that the wreckage of a plane carrying Malawi’s Vice President was found with no survivors.
Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others were travelling within the country on Monday morning when their aircraft vanished from airport radars.
According to aviation authorities, the military aircraft was flying in bad weather. They were traveling to attend the funeral of a former Government Minister Ralph Kasambara.
President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, extended his condolences through a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale. The statement read in part, “President Tinubu commiserates with the families of the deceased over this deeply distressing incident, which happened on a mournful Monday, June 10, 2024.
“The President assures the Malawian nation of Nigeria’s support during this time of mourning and prays for the repose of the souls of the departed.”
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat was deeply saddened to learn that the search and rescue mission for the missing aircraft carrying H.E. Saulus Claus Chilima, Vice President of the Republic of Malawi and nine other occupants, found no survivors.
Faki extended his “most sincere condolences to the bereaved families, and the government and the people of Malawi over this great national loss.” He reiterated the AU’s strong solidarity with Chakwera, the government and the people of Malawi during this difficult time.
Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba says Chilima had deep affection for the people of Malawi and it is unfortunate that he passed on at a time when he still had so much to offer the people of Malawi and Africa.
The US further offered its condolences saying it stands by Malawi at this difficult time.
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan said: “on behalf of the people of the United Republic of Tanzania, I convey our deepest condolences to His Excellency President Lazarus Chakwera and the people of the Republic of Malawi, family and friends.”
Saulos Chilima was born on February 12, 1973.
He was first sworn in as Vice President of the Republic of Malawi on May 30, 2014.
On June 28, 2020, he took the oath of office for his second term.
Chilima was the first Malawian to head Airtel Malawi, the leading mobile telecommunications company in the Southern African country.
Before venturing into telecommunications, he held senior sales marketing positions in the banking sector and the fast-moving consumer goods sector namely the Leasing and Finance Company, Unilever Malawi, Coca-Cola and Carlsberg.
Chilima was married and leaves behind two children.
