Two top UTM Party leaders, Patricia Kaliati and party president Dr. Dalitso Kabambe, have spoken out strongly about the plane crash that killed Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others on June 10, 2024.
During a memorial service in Nsipe, Ntcheu, Patricia Kaliati said she believes the government was involved in Chilima’s death. She said, “Chilima died like a dog,” showing her anger and sadness. She questioned why the government keeps telling people not to talk about the crash, saying it could be a way to hide the truth.
Kaliati also criticized the government for choosing Thuma Forest — where the plane went down — as the place for a national memorial. She called it suspicious and disrespectful. She even warned government officials not to return to Chilima’s grave again, saying they had no right to be there if they played a role in his death.
She also demanded the arrest of some government officials who she says cut trees in the forest to clear space for the memorial ceremony. She said this disrespected the crash site. To end her speech, Kaliati asked the DJ to play the song Mabala by Lucius Banda, a song about pain and betrayal, to show how deeply hurt she felt.
Later that evening, during a candlelight event at the same place, UTM President Dr. Dalitso Kabambe said Chilima had strong plans to help Malawians escape deep poverty. But he said those dreams were destroyed by the tragic crash.
Dr. Kabambe also said Malawi has a long history of mistreating its vice presidents. He promised that if UTM wins power, the party will launch a full investigation into the crash to find out if someone caused it on purpose — and to make sure those responsible are punished by law.
