Four Mourners Killed by Vehicle in Malawi VP Saulos Chilima’s Funeral Convoy

A vehicle in the funeral convoy of Malawi’s late Vice-President, Saulos Chilima, accidentally hit and killed four people, including a pregnant woman, on Sunday night. 

It was part of a motorcade transporting the body of Saulos Chilima, who died in a plane crash earlier this week. Thousands of people had lined up in the streets to catch a glimpse of the vice president’s coffin.

The incident happened during clashes between local residents, police, and soldiers, and it left 12 others injured. These injured people were taken to a nearby hospital.

The convoy was heading from Lilongwe to Chilima’s village in Ntcheu to bury him when the accident happened. 

During this time, tensions rose, and some people threw stones at government cars and officials. 

An eyewitness told AFP that the vehicle plunged into the group as it attempted to manoeuvre away from the volatile crowd.

According to Felix Njawala, the spokesperson for the UTM party, tensions arose along the funeral procession route as mourners insisted on catching a glimpse of the coffin, temporarily blocking the road in Dedza.

“The crowd demanded to see the coffin, but eventually, they were calmed down, and the convoy continued on its way,” Njawala told AFP.

This violence occurred despite a large crowd that had gathered to honor Saulos Chilima, showing their respect as his coffin passed by.

Saulos Chilima’s death

Saulos Chilima passed away last week along with eight others in a military plane crash in Malawi’s Chikangawa Forest amid dense fog. The wreckage was found on Tuesday following a search operation initiated by the military.

Saulos Chilima was a member of the United Transformation Movement (UTM), which joined forces with President Lazarus Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) for the 2020 presidential election on a joint ticket. Several political leaders are now calling for an independent investigation into the crash.