On June 10, 2024, Malawi was brought to its knees by a tragedy that stunned the nation. A Dornier 228 military aircraft crashed into the hills of Nthungwa in Chikangawa Forest, claiming nine lives, including our sitting Vice President, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, and former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri. A year later, as the country prepares to remember the fallen, the commemorations are as divided as the reactions that followed the crash.
The Chilima family, alongside his party UTM, is holding a memorial in Nsipe, his home village, where he was laid to rest and where his memory lives most vividly. Meanwhile, State President Chakwera is hosting a separate memorial at the crash site in Nthungwa. If I were the State President, I would have made a different, more unifying choice.
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As a sitting Vice President, Chilima was not just a party leader, he was a national figure, a son of Malawi. If I were the State President, I would have bowed to the mourning family and stood with them and the UTM at Nsipe. I would have recognized that true leadership means setting aside political differences and being present where it matters most: among the people who loved him, in the place where he was buried.
President Chakwera has often publicly stated that he shared a cordial and productive working relationship with Dr. Chilima, despite public skepticism. If that sentiment was genuine, then this memorial was the clearest opportunity to act on it. Standing with Chilima’s family and community in Nsipe would have powerfully demonstrated that the bond was more than political convenience, it was a matter of respect.
The memorial at Nsipe is not a party affair, it is a family affair, a community moment, a national loss. Choosing to commemorate Chilima separately at the crash site gives the impression that the State still views him through a political lens rather than as a statesman who died in service. If I were the State President, I would have joined hands with the family, symbolizing national unity, healing, and respect.
Moreover, I would have directed my advisors and the government spokesperson to prioritize attending the Nsipe memorial, ensuring that the presence of the State was felt where the emotional weight of the nation truly rested.
Chilima and Chakwera were once bound by a shared sense of purpose that reshaped Malawi’s political landscape. In the aftermath of the flawed 2019 presidential elections, the two stood shoulder to shoulder in one of the most defining moments of the country’s democratic journey. Together, they challenged the results in court, not as rivals, but as patriots fighting for electoral justice. Their unity during that legal battle culminated in the nullification of the election and the ushering in of a new administration through the historic 2020 fresh polls. It was a moment that symbolized hope, collaboration, and the power of solidarity, one that makes the current divisions in mourning all the more painful and perplexing.
The investigation into the crash was led by Germany’s Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) at Malawi’s request under ICAO Annex 13. An expert from the aircraft manufacturer, General Atomics AeroTec Systems, was involved, and Malawi appointed its own Accredited Representative and Advisers. Despite this, the public remains skeptical. The final report, released just days before the memorial, concluded pilot error, but it has been met with distrust, especially due to State President Chakwera’s initial lack of transparency and the delay in rescue efforts.
If I were the State President, I would have shared the report promptly, explained every detail with clarity, and welcomed public scrutiny rather than retreating into silence. Trust is not restored by withholding information, it is restored by facing hard truths, however uncomfortable.
Separate ceremonies send separate messages. The memorial should have been a unified national event, beginning at the crash site with solemn reflection and ending in Nsipe, where Chilima is buried and remembered by his family, friends, and supporters. If I were the State President, I would have proposed a joint program, ensuring both sites were honored but in a spirit of togetherness.
Dr. Chilima’s legacy should not be caught in a tug-of-war between institutions and parties. If I were the State President, I would have chosen humility over pride, unity over optics, and nation over narrative. His passing was not just a political loss, it was a loss for all Malawians.
In moments of grief, nations either divide or unite. If I were the State President, I would have chosen to stand in Nsipe, not as a ruling authority, but as a grieving nation. Because that is what the moment called for. And that is what Malawi deserves.
