The people of Malawi are currently in a state of mourning following the tragic passing of their vice-president, Saulos Chilima. Alongside nine others, Chilima lost his life in a plane crash that occurred in a forest in the northern region of the country, where they were scheduled to attend a funeral.

Residents of Lilongwe, such as Rose Abigail Mwinjilo, expressed their sadness over the loss, emphasizing the role of leaders as parental figures for numerous communities. Mwinjilo stated, “In every nation, we always have leaders who are also like parents. Not to one person, not to two, but to many communities, so it is sad.”

Another resident from the capital, Godrick Masina, acknowledged Chilima’s significant contributions to Malawi, describing his passing as unfortunate. Masina highlighted Chilima’s role as vice-president, stating that he had assisted many people, including the current government. Masina expressed his belief that without Chilima, the country may have faced another election.

Originally a businessman, Chilima served as vice-president for a decade, initially under former President Peter Mutharika and later under the incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera. After a falling out with Mutharika, Chilima established his own political party, the United Transformation Movement (UTM), in 2018. The party advocated for radical change and reform within the country.

Chilima ran as the UTM’s presidential candidate in the subsequent year’s election, securing third place in the polls, which were ultimately won by Mutharika. However, the election was later nullified by Malawi’s top court due to widespread irregularities.

In the 2020 re-run of the election, Chilima joined forces with Chakwera, despite their differing political affiliations. Together, they defeated Mutharika, with Chilima serving as Chakwera’s running mate.

Following the plane crash, officials from the UTM criticized the government for its slow response and questioned the absence of a transponder on the aircraft. Patricia Kaliati, the party’s secretary general, expressed their concerns, stating, “As a party, we are looking forward to seeing where the transponder is and why we are failing to trace it.”

Upon announcing Chilima’s passing, the president described him as a “good man” and a “patriotic citizen.” However, there have been recent reports of tension between the two individuals.

Chilima stated that, as a component of their coalition, Chakwera had consented to relinquish his position after serving his initial term and permit him to contest for the presidency in the upcoming election scheduled for next year.

Nevertheless, Chakwera declared last month that he intends to seek re-election in the nationwide elections set to occur in September 2025.