………Veep was advised to rest after long Korea trip, proceeded on trip without informing President Chakwera
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-As the nation grapples with the nitty-gritties of how Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima met his tragic fate, details are emerging on how his office skirted around protocol to force the trip which initially was not supposed to take place.
Chilima and eight others went missing on Monday aboard Malawi Defence Force aircraft #MAF T03 and were declared dead a day later upon President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera’s national announcement.
The plane was found to have crashed in Chikangawa Forest after it failed to land in Mzuzu due to bad weather.
Impeccable highly-placed sources at government seat, Capital Hill, reveal that the Vice President undertook the trip without taking leave of President Lazarus Chakwera.
“The Vice President had just returned on Sunday from Seoul where he represented the President at the Korea – Africa Summit. The President could not delegate Chilima to Ralph Kasambara’s funeral because he was coming from a long trip, needed rest and be ready for Monday’s official duties,” discloses the source.
On Monday, the Vice President was scheduled to see the President off at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) on his way to Bahamas for the the 31stAnnual Meetings (AAM) of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the 3rd Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF).
It for this reason that President Chakwera initially delegated Local Government minister, Richard Chimwendo Banda, before the arrangement was changed later to replace him with Minister of Defence Harry Mlekanjala Mkandawire.
The wisdom behind discouraging the Vice President to go to Nkhatabay was on the basis that the funeral was likely to collide with his official program later same day.
It remains common knowledge that the Tonga people of Nkhatabay are usually renowned for long funeral rites, a cultural fact that was communicated to the Vice President before his departure to alert him of the possibility of delay for the President’s send-off.
“The Vice President decided to go to Nkhatabay as a personal friend of (Ralph) Kasambara and did not personally inform the office he was mandated to report to.
“President Chakwera only learnt about Chilima’s travel from the Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba, after the plane was already airborne,” says the source.
Due to their familiarity with government protocol, the sources further posit that had the President delegated Chilima for the funeral then some of the top government officials that traveled to Nkhatabay would have probably been on that plane.
“Had it been common information within the cabinet, then other government officials travelling from Lilongwe would have taken opportunity to get a ride as they too would have loved to see the President off to Bahamas later that day.”
Meanwhile, the late Vice President Chilima’s burial is slated for June 17, 2024 at home village, Nsipe in Ntcheu district.
Comments
5 responses to “Revealed! Late Veep Chilima travelled to Mzuzu without Chakwera’s approval”
MCP campaigning for decampagning,,,kuona ngat akukonza Koma akulakwa,,,the govt Shud remain silent.
Instead of apologising there are busy putting a blame on skc shame ok n them
This makes perfect sense. UTM members are good at media noises instead of just mourning the dead, no respect. Chakwera is a Man of God and cannot think of killing skc. Let God arise and chakwera enemies be scarred in JESUS NAME!
seems like someone is trying to shift blame to the Victim here. How can Chilima secretly arrange airplane travel without government knowing. The truth will be revealed soon.
Munthuyo anali mzake school mate azidukira chilolezo chachani in what capacity?? Komaso munthu anagwilitsa ntchito ndege ya MDF tidziti president samaudziwa za izi awawa asowa chonena athundukwa in ngoni from ntcheu language