- PRESIDENT DR. CHAKWERA BOOED WHEN DELIVERING EULOGY AT STATE FUNERAL CEREMONY
- MURMURS FOR FORMER PRESIDENT DR. BANDA DURING HER EULOGY AT LATE MADAME DZIMBIRI’S BURIAL
- SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT FAILS TO DELIVER HER EULOGY AT LATE MADAME DZIMBIRI’S BURIAL
- WHAT REMAINS OF TONSE ALLIANCE AHEAD OF MALAWI’S 2025 ELECTIONS?
It is said in time of bereavement and grief over our dead loved ones, people tend to mourn different. This is pretty much the case of most Malawians as we are mourning with the family of Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, the late Veep.
The atmosphere has lately become sensitive and emotional ever since the tragic loss of the Veep and 8 others. It has been observed that MCP’s cabinet ministers, parliament representatives but also the President himself are being shunned at the various funeral ceremonies mainly those of UTM members.
The first occurrence happened at the burial ceremony of former first lady, madame Patricia Shanil Muluzi when women in UTM and DPP legalias attempted to prevent former President Joyce Banda from delivering her eulogy.
However, the situation was defused when former President Bakili Muluzi, who was also Dzimbiri’s husband, intervened.
“Dr. Joyce Banda has been a member of our family and I have asked her to say something. They worked together with the late Shanil, so allow her to speak,” Muluzi appealed to the crowd.
The ceremony was further disrupted when Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara attempted to speak on behalf of President Lazarus Chakwera, but was met with murmurs of protest from the crowd.
“Please respect us, the family, by not bringing politics here. Allow everyone who is on the program to speak to do so. They are here to join us in mourning,” Dr. Muluzi intervened again to restore order to the proceedings.
Just earlier today during the State Funeral Ceremony for Veep, President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera was booed by a section of the crowd at Bingu National Stadium as he delivered his eulogy for the late Vice President Saulos Chilima.
“Tidzafa tili pa mbuyo pa Chilima (We shall die rallying behind Chilima),” the crowed roared while booing the President at the State Funeral Ceremony which had an attendance of cabinet ministers and political figureheads from Zambia, Kenya and Tanzania.
Despite the loud boos, President Chakwera continued with his speech, acknowledging the pain and frustration of the Malawian people over the loss of their leader. He expressed his own doubts and questions regarding the circumstances surrounding the military aircraft crash that claimed Chilima’s life. He assures the nation that an independent investigation would be conducted, with foreign expertise, to establish the cause of the crash.
The booing of President Lazarus Chakwera during his eulogy for the late Vice-President Saulos Chilima at Bingu National Stadium suggests that there may be some underlying tensions or dissatisfaction among the Malawians. This could be related to various factors related to the grief or frustration over the tragic death of the Veep and 8 others in a plane crash, that has several unanswered questions.
In a separate development, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) and civil society leaders have asked Malawians to avoid speculating and spreading conspiracy theories relating to the plane crash that claimed the lives of Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others on Monday in Mzimba, Chikangawa Forest.
PAC and governance commentator Undule Mwakasungula made the sentiments in separate messages amid speculations circulating on numerous social media platforms relating to the plane crash. In its message co-signed by chairperson Monsignor Patrick Thawale and spokesperson Bishop Gilford Matonga, PAC states that it is important for Malawians to mourn peacefully.
Our focus should be on promoting national healing and unity regardless of our political or religious affiliations and personal differences. Our earnest prayer, therefore, must be for us to emerge from this tragedy stronger and more united.
Vice President Dr. Chilima is set to be laid to rest tomorrow, June 17 in Nsipe, Ntcheu district. However, it is anticipated for an occurrence of high magnitude of similar events during the burial ceremony of veep Dr. SKC in his home village.
However, with such continuous political chaos being displayed at the funeral ceremonies of the sons and daughter of the soil. it raises the question of will remain of the Tonse Alliance in which its spearheads for the late Veep, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima of UTM and President Dr. Chakwera of MCP.
As of late, several figureheads from different parties already distanced themselves from Tonse Alliance. Alliance For Democracy Front-AFORD along with Timonthy Mtambo who formed his own party are already in a coalition. This came probably as a result of a political power wrangle that emerged within the Tonse Alliance where the MCP where boosting that Chakwera is the lifetime President and he shall contest for Presidency in 2025, a move which was contrary to the pact of the Tonse Alliance.
All in all, it is unknown of what shall befall the Tonse Alliance. Meanwhile, President Chakwera is expected to appoint a new Veep by Wednesday,19th of June as per Law of Malawi states. This decision is probably the most complex decision that the President has to make which shall point the direction of which the Alliance is going.