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    Tearful

The nation’s profound love and respect for the late Vice-President Saulos Chilima was intense yesterday as hundreds of Malawians paid their respects in Lilongwe.

The Vice-President, along with eight others, tragically perished in a military plane crash on Monday inChikangawa Forest in Mzimba.

President Lazarus Chakwera led the nation in mourning as Chilima’s remains were collected yesterday afternoon from Goodwill Funeral Home in Area 4 in Lilongwe.

Sean Chilima comforts his mother as Chilima’s casket
was being taken out of Abwenzi Mortuary

An emotional scene unfolded as people of all ages wept openly when Chilima’s casket emerged.

Whispers of disbelief echoed among the crowd, struggling to accept the reality of his departure.

St Patrick’s Parish was the solemn setting for a requiem mass, a ceremony soaked in reverence and shared sorrow.

Church leaders eulogised the late Chilima as a devout Catholic, a beacon of joy, and a figure of approachability.

Mourners filled the church while hundreds others stood outside, their gaze locked onto large screens that relayed the service.

St Patrick’s Parish priest Rev Fr. Henry Zulu delivered a moving homily.

He described Chilima as a devout Catholic, unwavering in his faith, steadfast in his commitment to the church and a regular at mass.

Fr. Zulu recalled Chilima’s modesty in kneeling to receive the Eucharist, a testament to his deep reverence and devotion.

He also recounted the late Chilima’s visit before his ill-fated trip to Nkhata Bay, describing his participation at the morning mass and receiving of the Eucharist as a sign of his steadfast faith.

Mary Chilima comforts her daughter Elizabeth during the requiem mass at St. Patrick’s Parish in Lilongwe

The parish’s first vice-chairperson Mathews Mtumbuka voiced the community’s unanswered questions regarding Chilima’s untimely death.

Mtumbuka fondly remembered Chilima as an exemplary leader, recalling a 2012 incident when the deceased, then at Airtel Company, advocated for a pay raise for workers.

He said Chilima travelled to Kenya to push for the pay increase and when the money was given, he generously distributed it among junior staff only.

Said Mtumbuka: “Such selflessness is rare among leaders. How many bosses can do that? Bosses mostly want to accumulate all the money.”

Mtumbuka, therefore, urged bosses to follow Chilima’s footsteps, saying God has chosen to take the Veep early so that others can learn and change.

The mass was led by Auxiliary Bishop Vincent Mwakhwawa and Archbishop George Desmond Tambala

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