Malawi: The world joins Ngonis, Catholics, and Malawians in mourning SKC and 8 others
Alpha and Omega || Beginning and End || Everlasting Father || My Lord and Friend || Alpha and Omega || Beginning and End || Everlasting Father || My Lord and Friend — CeCe Winans, Alvin Love III
Malawi has a new Vice President, the Right Honorable Dr. Michael Usi. His appointment comes about following the tragic death of our last VP, His Honor the Right Honorable Impi Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima on June 10, 2024. We salute and congratulate Dr. Michael Usi to this elevation and pray for him as we do for all our other leaders.
On the fateful and tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of Malawi’s Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima and 8 other Malawian officials including the country’s former First Lady on June 10, 2024, the world joined Malawians who were first in shock at the report of the missing plane. The shock was later piled upon by a coterie of so many anguishing emotions, too deep and numerous to recount. The departed heroes have since been interred into their eternal resting places, the mourning continues. The country will by this Friday have a new Vice President.
As the late vice president was a Catholic, Mass was held throughout the days starting from Monday June 10 up to June 17, the day of his state funeral. He was also a Ngoni and an Impi, thus Ngoni rituals such as ku khuza, were performed both in Lilongwe and at his home village in Nsipe.
The day before his burial on Monday, I had the privilege and honor to be invited to a radio interview on Vuma FM, a South African radio station. The following are excerpts of the interview by Zowakhe Mbatha and produced by Thokozani Thembani.
Zowakhe Mbatha: On the tragic death of Malawi’s Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima and 8 others, we welcome to answer brief questions, Janet Zeenat Karim – a Journalist. She currently works as an elementary school special education teacher in the US; she’s the author of children’s books, and a former diplomat at the Malawi Mission to the United Nations. You are most welcome Madame.
Janet Zeenat Karim: Thank you Zowakhe Mbatha and your producer Ntokozo Thembani for giving me the opportunity to come on the Sunday Wrap Up Hour of this great broadcasting network. I feel privileged to be here. Thank you for having me to give a perspective on the life as I knew it, of our great late Vice President, Impi, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima.
- ZM: You have written a heartfelt piece on the life of the Vice President, you look back on other deaths…. former UDF VP Justin Malewezi, former President Bingu wa Mutharika, and Malawi’s first President Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda who passed away 25 years ago; and you say the death of Vice President Chilima is the most tragic, why do you say so?
JZK: The former vice president was a brilliant bright young Malawian with a powerful track record for getting things done and had a very bright future. He was wildly popular, charismatic, full of humor, and had a truckload of traditional proverbs that roused the crowds everywhere he went. Additionally, in Malawi 2024 is a campaign year for the 2025 presidential, parliamentary, and councilor elections. His death has eliminated a very strong contender.
- ZM: Can you share with us how the nation received State President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s announcement to Malawians on Monday evening of the very tragic, news on the passing of Vice president Saulos Chilima, and 8 others, including former First Lady Patricia Shanil Muluzi)?
JZK: The nation has received the news and is in a state of shock, mixed with bewilderment, anger, and deep sorrow, heavily numbed.
The social media is filled with Malawians pouring out their mourning for Malawi’s most popular and youngest Vice President. There are a lot of pictures of SKC since he entered politics in 2013, civic activities such as golf to raise funds for charity, and his participation in church. He was a Catholic.
- ZM: Can you share with us some of your moments with him, particularly in the early stages of your career?
As a journalist, I met with him in various companies where the former VP worked; I went to him to secure adverts for my magazine Woman now and later The Independent newspaper. As a diplomat, it was great connecting with him for help with my cell phone any time I came to Malawi; he was CEO of Airtel. Also as a diplomat, I connected with him officially when he joined politics in 2013, often exchanging ideas on how he can maneuver what had quickly turned as a hard environment for him in his first VP role. When I retired as a diplomat, I re-entered journalism as a columnist; it was great having someone like the VP as one of the contacts I could connect with on issues affecting Malawi. I often messaged him my views on unfolding issues. His responses when they came, were brief (sometimes just one word), and to the point.
- ZM: How much can you say he contributed to your journey, as a woman journalist?
As editor of my two periodicals, it was while he was a sales executive at Lever Brothers, that I got support especially for my magazine. In later times when he was a politician, I was inspired to develop storylines from either something he said, or he was going through. He was a very inspirational person.
- ZM: As a former Diplomat at the Malawi Mission to the UN, and someone who engaged with him a number of times, what are some of the lessons you took from him?
The late former VP was a great listener; he said little but did much. While listening to people speak, you could always see him watching with great keenness. He always established his presence by his quietness. He was the greatest example of the “less is best” lesson I got when entering the diplomatic world. With all the quiet listening, SKC, when he got up to speak, the volume was one of a raised volume orator.
- ZM: Looking at his journey in government in Malawi, what are some of the things he accomplished that you are proud of, and do not mind sharing?
He did a lot for Malawi. His best accomplishment was surviving two hostile administrations in the vice president’s position, the last of which led to his death. During these administrations, he modeled to the nation what “cool, calm, and collected” looked like.
Late Chilima contributed to the creation of the Third Reich; through a countrywide whistle-stop campaign (similar to first President Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda rallies in from 1958), the Tonse Alliance gained massive traction. He brought energy into the 2020 elections, and victory for Tonse was a foregone conclusion. In the 2025 elections, there was potential for a new Malawi under youthful leadership. He was a great organizer.
- ZM: In another piece, you wrote asking the question “Should Malawi scrap out the position of vice President from the Constitution?” Can you enlighten us on why you came up with such a position for a democratic country such as Malawi?
1. For 30 years Malawi had one president, no vice president. As such Malawians do not know how to have a two-pronged leadership that democratic presidencies entail.
2. For the 30 years Malawi has been a democratic nation, Malawians (top to bottom)have disrespected, demeaned, insulted, manipulated the president to dislike his VP, and twice even had the VPs imprisoned (Chilumpha and Chilima).
3. Of the 9 VP slots in Malawi’s history, only 2 left State House unscathed and the two presidential officials (president and vice president) still on speaking terms. Now one is even dead.
4. I move we should remove this from the Constitution.
- ZM: You say Malawi existed for 30 years without a vice president; the country only had the life president, how did the change come about!?
The Life President, Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda got old and was clearly unable to carry out his functions as head of state.
- ZM: In your writings (you shared three on the subject matter) you talk about the treatment, challenges and struggles that Vice Presidents have experienced in Malawi, how bad has the situation been?
The situation was very bad for the vice presidents in Malawi. Constitutionally, the VP is second in charge. He/she is still part of the presidency. We do not call him/her deputy president; the title is vice president. Without appreciating this, Malawians have disparaged the VPs, ridiculed them: sent two to prison, and one is dead.
- ZM: I understand that there have been about 8 Vice presidents, with the interesting one for me being the first female to be nominated – Joyce Banda, who was VP between 2009 and 2012, how was her journey?
Her journey was another troubled waters journey. Maybe she recalled her three predecessors (Chakuamba, Malewezi, and Chilumpha), but she was resilient. She was also the first to create a political party while in the state house. This mirrored something for Chilima, who when the worst came to pass, he too created a political party while at the state house.
- The late Saulos Chilima, how has his overall journey as Vice president been in Malawi?
He has mirrored for Malawians what resilience looks like when faced with tribal bickering in political parties: With Mutharika’s administration, the Lomwes did not want SKC (a Ngoni). With Chakwera, the Chewas (of which Chakwera belongs) did not want a Ngoni. He was accused of corruption and even sent (briefly) to prison. The case was recently (this year) thrown out of court (insufficient evidence presented by the state). He was a workaholic, fundraiser, and played golf (to raise money for charities). He was hugely popular, especially among the youth.
He was a devout Catholic who wore his religion on his sleeves and in his heart.
- What if possible would be the best path for the country?
I would wish that the president appoints someone like the late VP’s wife, Madame Mary Chilima. She would be in position to finish her late husband’s post up to 2025. Then the UTM’s party Secretary General, Honorable Patricia Kaliati could be the candidate for the 2025 presidential elections. I think the MCP should honor the massive contribution of SKC in Tonse Alliance securing the 2020; the MCP should continue to uphold the Tonse Alliance to secure its win; they can do this by not placing a candidate in the 2025 election. This would be the honorable thing to do: No MCP candidate in 2025.
ZM: Wow. Thank you very much, Mrs. Janet Zeenat Karim.
JZK: Once again, thank you Zowakhe Mbatha and your producer Ntokozo Thembani for giving me this opportunity to share with your listeners of the Sunday Wrap Up Hour. It’s been a privilege and pleasure being here with you. Thank you for having me
