Chilima burial on Monday

Departed Vice-President SaulosChilima will be laid to rest at his home, Nsipe in Ntcheu District on Monday, Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses Kunkuyu has announced.

The official government spokesperson also announced during a press briefing in Lilongwe yesterday that investigation into the plane crash will start today with results expected within 10 days.

Addressing the press at Capital Hill, Kunkuyu, who was accompanied by Malawi Defence Force Joint Headquarters chief of staff Major General Saiford Mangisha, said the government has authorised autopsies on the deceased in line with the procedure for people who die in accidents.

“The autopsy will be conducted by independent practitioners. The government will provide all the support it can,” said the minister.

Kunkuyu also outlined the programme of Chilima’s funeral.

“The body will be collected [from the mortuary] on Friday and there will be a mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Area 18, Lilongwe on Friday, followed by a State funeral at Civo Stadium on Sunday before the burial at Chilima’s home village of Nsipe in Ntcheu on Monday.”

In a related development, the minister said former first lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri, who also died in the same crash, will be laid to rest with full military honours on Friday in Balaka District.

Taking his turn, Mangisha said the military has set up a team to investigate the circumstances that led to the plane crash.

He said the investigation will start today and should be concluded in 10 days.

The Human Rights Consultative Committee and National Advocacy Platform had earlier called for an investigation into Chilima’s plane crash.

Reacting to the development, Human Rights Defenders Coalition chairperson Gift Trapence said the investigation should conform to the principles of accountability and transparency.

Meanwhile, UTM Party publicity secretary Felix Njawala  has called on the party’s supporters to remain calm and exercise restraint during these trying time.

The remarks follow allegations that there was a fracas at the Veep’s vigil at Area 18 in Lilongwe involving some people believed to be UTM Party supporters.

Said Njawala: “Dr Chilima was a man of honour. He was never a man of violence. We should not tarnish his legacy because we are angry and emotional.” n

Additional reporting by George Singini, Staff Writer