The people of Malawi are in mourning following the death of the country’s vice-president, Saulos Chilima.
He, together with nine others, died in a plane crash in a forest in the north of the country where they were due to attend a funeral.
“In every nation we always have leaders who are also like parents. Not to one person, not to two, but to many communities, so it is sad,” said Lilongwe resident, Rose Abigail Mwinjilo.
“Apples Bite” reports that Chilima was a Malawian economist and politician who served as Vice President of Malawi from 2014 to 2019 and again from 2020 until his death in 2024.
He assumed office on 28 June 2020, winning the majority alongside presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera. Chilima also served as the Minister of Economic Planning and Development, as well as Head of Public Sector Reforms, a position he also previously held under the administration of former president Peter Mutharika.
Before joining politics, Chilima held key leadership positions in various multi-national companies including Unilever, Coca-Cola and Airtel Malawi, where he rose to become Chief Executive Officer.
On 10 June 2024, a plane carrying Chilima and nine other passengers crashed in Chikangawa Forest Reserve in Mzimba District when it took off from Malawi’s capital Lilongwe and did not land at its planned destination of Mzuzu Airport.
It was gathered that the plane was unable to land at the airport due to poor visibility and was ordered to return to Lilongwe prior to the crash.
On 11 June 2024, Chilima and the other passengers were reported dead after the plane’s wreckage was found.
Early life and education
Born on 12 February 1973 in Ntcheu, Malawi. He was the first child of Henderson Brown Chilima of Ching’anga Village, T/A Njewa, Lilongwe and Elizabeth Frances Chilima of Mbilintengerenji Village, T/A Champiti, Ntcheu.
Chilima spent most of his early life in Blantyre where his parents were working and spent his summer holidays with his paternal and maternal grandparents in Lilongwe and Ntcheu, respectively.
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He did his primary school at HHI and Dharap primary schools, and his secondary education at the Marist Brothers Mtendere Secondary School Thiwi in the Dedza District.
The deceased went on to the University of Malawi, Chancellor College, where he graduated with a degree in social sciences in 1994. After working for a few years, he returned to his alma mater to pursue a master’s degree in Knowledge Management, graduating in 2006. On 10 August 2015, Chilima received his Ph.D in Knowledge Management from the University of Bolton in the United Kingdom.
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