Tens of thousands of Malawians are taking part in a funeral service at the national stadium to pay tribute to the vice president who died in a plane crash last week.
Saulos Chilima, 51, was considered a breath of fresh air in Malawian politics.
He was an eloquent public speaker and an energetic campaigner who had great influence among the youth, who make up more than half of Malawians.
He was a devout Catholic and the service will include a full mass.
He will be buried on Monday in his home district of Ntcheu, 180 kilometers south of Lilongwe, which has been declared a public holiday.
The service at Bingu National Stadium started with a moving tribute from his family. The 41,000 capacity stadium is full and there are even more people standing outside.
His son Sean recalled what a loving father he was, how he always had time for children and played games with them. He added that his father had been extremely competitive and always wanted to win.
“Dad was a hard worker who always made sure he got everything done,” he said.
His brother, Ben, said the family was grateful to have received the personal belongings he had with him at the time of the accident, including his watch and rosary.
Some in the stadium booed government officials, including President Lazarus Chakwera, as they spoke.
Only after the intervention of Catholic priests did peace return.
Chilima died last Monday while traveling in a military plane to the northern town of Nkhata Bay, where he was due to attend the funeral of a former minister.
The entire crew and other passengers on board, including former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri, were also killed.
President Chakwera said the plane crashed due to poor visibility caused by bad weather, but Chilima’s UTM party has called for a thorough and independent investigation.
During the service, this call was supported by Archbishop Desmond Tambala of Lilongwe, who spoke on behalf of the Catholic Church in Malawi.
President Chakwera said foreign governments and international agencies would be asked for assistance in investigating the accident because “the Malawi military cannot conduct its own investigation.”
Mr Chilima had a successful career in the private sector, holding several high-ranking, well-paid positions in the corporate world before making what many believe was a risky decision and venturing into politics at the age of just 40.
He has served as vice president since 2014, initially under the former president Peter Mutharika.
After falling out with Mutharika, Chilima founded his own party, the UTM.
He ran for president in the 2019 elections and came third behind Mutharika and Chakwera, but the election results were annulled by Malawi’s High Court following complaints of fraud.
In the 2020 presidential election, Chilima agreed to be Chakwera’s running mate, in an alliance of nine opposition parties.
In June 2022, he said that as part of that agreement, President Chakwera would serve only one term and that he would then support Mr Chilima in the next elections in September 2025.
President Chakwera has not publicly disputed Mr Chilima’s claim, but in recent public statements he has begun to hint that he may seek re-election next year.
At public appearances, Mr Chilima and Mr Chakwera appeared to be on good terms, but many thought a falling out was inevitable, especially after senior leaders of their respective parties started openly supporting the two’s candidacies in next year’s elections.
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