He was our pillar’

Juwaye, elder brother Abdul Lapukeni who died in the plane crash alongside vice president the late Saulos Chilima and seven others, spoke of the unimaginable loss that the death of his younger brother Abdul has brought to his family.

Juwaye said Abdul was his family’s pillar.

The late Lapukeni has been buried today at Mpale in Mangochi. Until his death on Monday June 10, 2024, in Chikangawa Forest he was the Deputy Chief of Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There were uncontrollable cries as the body of Lapukeni arrived at his village.In her eulogy on behalf of President Lazarus Chakwera, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nancy Tembo said the President is shocked and heartbroken and equally devasted just like all the people who had gathered at Group Village Head Chapola in Mangochi.

Among other notable people who attended the burial ceremony include; Minister of Energy and Mining, Ibrahim Matola, Deputy Minister of Health, Halima Daudi, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Aisha Mambo Adams, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Eastern region Vice-President, Bright Msaka, Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) publicity secretary, Sheikh Dinala Chabulika, Presidential Adviser on Religious Affairs and Sheikh Abbasi Hashim.