As Malawians are grappling to find answers surrounding the sudden demise of Vice President Saulos Chilima, it is of paramount importance to analyse the causes that might have contributed to this tragic event.
This article therefore outlines 10 possible causes that might have played a significant role in the loss of the life of our beloved vice President Saulos Chilima.
1) Abandoning DPP to partner with MCP
There are sentiments from a litany of mourners that if Saulos chilima was patient enough to stay in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Peter Mutharika would have peacefully handed over power to him after finishing his second presidential term.
It is argued that it was easier for Chilima to be the torchbearer for DPP in 2024 presidential elections than fighting for power with President Chakwera in the 2025 presidential race. Patience is golden.
2) Unconstitutional Tonse Alliance agreement
It is well argued that Saulos Chilima lacked foresight when he expected President Chakwera to hand over power to him after serving his first presidential term when the Malawi Constitution is clear that President Chakwera is eligible for two presidential terms.
Realistically, many Chakwera’s supporters would want to continue benefiting from the current regime and therefore they would do their best to ensure that President Chakwera stays in power.
Furthermore, Saulos Chilima would have realised that any law or agreement that conflicted with the Malawi Constitution would be rendered invalid.
3) The blunder of making the Tonse Alliance pact secretive
Many Malawians concur with one another that it was a grave error to make the contents of the Tonse Alliance agreement confidential. If their agreement was open and transparent, I am of the view that some Malawians of good will would have provided the necessary advice.
What was interesting is that the Tonse Alliance Pact was publicised after President Chakwera had failed to honour it.
Many Malawians wondered why Saulos Chilima involved them at a later stage by mobilising them to go for early elections all along they had kept the alliance pact strictly confidential.
4) Chilima’s attempts to override Chakwera’s prerogatives
Many Malawians were flabbergasted to hear Saulos Chilima at Njamba Freedom Park rally that he would be the Minister of Finance in the new cabinet that time.
When President Chakwera was asked if such Chilima’s claims were true, the response was unfavourable. Upright reasoning demands that the appointing authority with the prerogative to form Cabinet was supposed to announce to the general public his intentions to rope in Saulos Chilima as his Minister of Finance.
It was therefore not surprising to note that President Chakwera appointed Saulos Chilima as the Minister of Economic development contrary to Chilima’s claims. Later, President Chakwera fired Chilima from this ministerial portfolio. One could easily read the Chakwera’s waning trust in his Vice President.
5) Biased and corrupt judiciary system
The nullification of 2019 presidential elections without concrete evidence of rigging has prompted some Malawians to think that the Malawian Judiciary is biased and corrupt. This entails that it is difficult to predict an objective verdict from our Malawian courts.
It is against this background that President Chakwera’s presidency was at risk if Saulos Chilima resolved to seek court intervention over their Tonse Alliance pact.
Ideally, the court was supposed to invalidate their Tonse alliance agreement on the basis that it violated President Chakwera’s constitutional right to contest for his second presidential term. However, with the rampant biased and corrupt judiciary, it was difficult to predict the court’s verdict on the case.
6) Using military plane without the approval of the Commander-in-Chief of MDF, President Chakwera
In military fraternity, ordinances, laws and procedures are strictly followed. Any forms of insubordination and disobedience are severely punished including the possibility of death.
In the politics arena, trust is the major ingredient in vetting one’s allegiance to the necessary authorities.
If it is true that Saulos Chilima bypassed the normal procedures to use the military plane, then consequential penalties may come from both the political and military side.
7) Chilima’s failure to appreciate that no one can win all the time
Saulos Chilima was one of the most successful people in the world. He achieved a lot in many spheres of life such as education, professional career, religion, politics and many more.
However, nature has it that it is not possible for a person to be a victor all the time. There are times when one can concede defeat in readiness for another grand victory in future.
For instance, attempting to beat time by boarding an unauthorized military plane amid reports of bad weather was tragically risky. Pushing President Chakwera to honour their Tonse Alliance Pact that conflicted with the Malawi Constitution in an environment where Judiciary is deemed biased and corrupt is politically risky.
8) Chilima’s failure to read signs of Chakwera’s mistrust
Thanatologists agree that death is a slow process. People gradually exhibit signs of death before they actually die. The truth is the same with relationships. They eventually collapse after showing some vital signs.
Unfortunately, Saulos Chilima failed to read the signs that President Chakwera was losing trust in him.
When Saulos Chilima promised Malawians that he would become Chakwera’s Minister of Finance, President Chakwera appointed him to be the Minister of Economic development instead.
After Chilima had submitted a well-researched public service reforms report, President Chakwera chose to keep the report private and confidential without any political will to implement what was recommended therein.
While President Chakwera was busy pardoning convict Uladi Mussa and shielding MCP corruption suspects such as Eisenhower Mkaka and Prince Kapondamgaga, Saulos Chilima was subjected to arrests and was further charged with corruption offences. In addition, President Chakwera thereafter officially stopped delegating him.
9) Clueless and disorganised Tonse Alliance
Tonse Alliance’s agenda was to win elections by overpromising Malawians anything that could convince the electorate.
For instance, there was no consolidated alliance manifesto that guided Tonse Alliance government to fulfill its campaign promises.
Whenever members of the Tonse Alliance convened a national meeting, deliberations did not centre on national development but on how each party would benefit from the alliance.
This is why it is unfathomable how experienced leaders of 9 political parties in the Tonse Alliance including former President Joyce Banda failed to manage and resuscitate the Malawi’s ailing economy.
It is also mindboggling how Saulos Chilima expected President Chakwera to honour their agreement of a clueless and disorganised alliance
10) Chilima’s trust in Chakwera’s forgiveness
In his defence, Saulos Chilima insisted that some MDF documents should be made public. However, President Chakwera later dropped Chilima’s corruption case on allegations that the requested documents would implicate both President Chakwera and some MDF staff.
After an extended hand of forgiveness, Saulos Chilima trusted Chakwera for being delegated to represent Malawi in Tanzania and Korea.
However, was Chakwera’s forgiveness genuine considering that Saulos died mysteriously in the MDF plane crash? This is why an independent inquiry into tragic plane crash is urgently necessary.
In conclusion, it is highly likely that a combination of the outlined factors may have significantly contributed to the demise of our beloved Vice President, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima.
May his soul rest in eternal peace!!!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of The author not necessarily of The Maravi Post or Editor
