Grief Engulfs Malawi After Vice President's Fatal Plane Crash
The "profound impact of this tragedy" reverberated across Malawi as it mourned Chilima's "sudden departure" alongside the eight others killed.
MZUZU, Malawi- A pall of grief engulfed Malawi on Wednesday as the nation continued to mourn the loss of Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others killed in a plane crash this week, writes Tionge Hara.
President Lazarus Chakwera declared 21 days of mourning following Monday's fatal plane crash that claimed the lives of the Vice President Chilima and eight other individuals.
The crash dealt a devastating blow to the country, uniting Malawians in a collective sense of shock and sorrow as they come to terms with the sudden departure of key figures.
In Mzuzu city, where Chilima had been traveling for a funeral, resident Eunice Mhango called his death at age 51 "a very huge blow to the country."
"We had all hope in him but death has won us," the 45-year-old told AfricaBrief.
"We are sad, we are crying and leaving everything in the hands of the Lord."
Chilima, a trained economist and former corporate executive, served as Malawi's 5th vice president until his demise.
He previously held leadership roles at companies including Unilever, Southern Bottlers and Airtel Malawi, rising to become the first Malawian managing director at Airtel in 2010.
Born in Blantyre in 1973, Chilima was married to Mary Chilima and they had two children, Sean and Elizabeth.
Burial arrangements had not been announced.
The "profound impact of this tragedy" reverberated across Malawi as it mourned Chilima's "sudden departure" alongside the eight others killed.