The tragic news of the death of Malawi’s Vice President, the Right Hon. Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, and nine other officials in a plane crash on Tuesday has reverberated across Africa, drawing heartfelt condolences and prayers from evangelical leaders.
President Lazarus Chakwera announced on Tuesday that the wreck of the plane carrying Malawi's vice-president was found with no survivors. Saulos Chilima and nine others were flying within the country on Monday morning when their aircraft disappeared from airport radars.
The military aircraft, flying in bad weather, prompted soldiers to conduct a search in Chikangawa Forest overnight and into the morning, a rescue effort that concluded with the discovery of the crashed aircraft. The U.S., the U.K., Norway and Israel had offered assistance in the search and rescue operation.
“I’m deeply saddened, I’m sorry to inform you all that it has turned out to be a terrible tragedy. The search and rescue team has found the aircraft near a hill. They have found it completely destroyed with no survivors,” Chakwera said in an address to the nation.
“Despite the track record of the aircraft and the experience of the crew, something terrible went wrong with that aircraft on its flight back to Lilongwe, sending it crashing down and leaving us all devastated,” he added.
President Chakwera, an evangelical theologian who previously served as the President of the Evangelical Alliance in Malawi (EAM), expressed deep sorrow as he addressed the nation.
"Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima was a good man, a devoted father and husband, a patriotic citizen who served his country with distinction, and a formidable vice president," Chakwera said, adding, "I consider it one of the great honours of my life to have had him as a deputy and as a counsellor."
Rev. Francis Mkandawire, General Secretary of the Evangelical Association of Malawi said the President has declared days of mourning until the burial asking believers to continue praying for the affected families and the nation.
The Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) conveyed its condolences to President Chakwera, the government of Malawi, and the entire Malawian nation. Dr. Master Oboletswe Matlhaope, Secretary General of the AEA, quoted 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 and Matthew 5:4, offering prayers for comfort and strength to the bereaved families and committing the nation of Malawi to the God of all comfort.
Condolences also poured in from Evangelical Alliance representatives from several countries across Africa.
"Lesotho extends its sincerest condolences to the family, government, and people of Malawi," expressed Dr. John Maphephe, General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance of Lesotho.
Similarly, Rafat Samir, General Secretary of the Sudan Evangelical Alliance, conveyed heartfelt condolences to the people of Malawi. "May the Lord God grant them grace and comfort in a time like this," he said.
Pastor Tsadiku Abdo Alema, representing the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia, said, "On behalf of the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia, I express my heartfelt condolences to the president and people of Malawi on the loss of their beloved ones."
"I wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the people of Malawi on the loss of their beloved leaders. May the Lord God grant them grace and comfort in a time like this. We mourn with them," said Bishop Andrew Mwenda, General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, as he conveyed his sympathies.
Bishop Esron Manigaraba from Rwanda also extended his condolences, stating, "So sorry to hear this sad news. May God comfort the families of the deceased and the entire nation of Malawi. Our deepest condolences from Rwanda."
