Former Prime Minister and Azimio leader Raila Odinga attended the funeral service of Malawi’s Vice President, Saulos Chilima, on Sunday.
Chilima, 51, tragically died in a plane crash on June 10 while traveling in a military aircraft to the northern town of Nkhata Bay.
The funeral service, held at the Bingu National Stadium, drew thousands of Malawians who came to pay their respects. Leaders and family members offered moving tributes to the late Vice President.
Raila Odinga, in his tribute, expressed the shock and sadness felt by Kenyans and the broader African community over the loss.
“Kenyans stand with the people of Malawi at this very sad hour of the loss of our brother Chilima,” Raila said.
“I come here with a very deep heart and I speak on behalf of the people of Kenya. First, I want to convey the condolences from the President of Kenya, His Excellency William Ruto.”
Raila highlighted Chilima’s promising future and his dedication to the rights and welfare of the Malawian people.
“He wanted to ensure that there is fairness and democracy in the division of the resources of the country,” Raila noted.
Drawing parallels to a similar tragedy in Kenya, Raila mentioned the loss of General Francis Ogolla and other military officers in a plane crash, underscoring the shared grief between the two nations.
Raila used the occasion to advocate for Pan-African unity and fairness in global resource distribution.
“I want to see a day when Africa, the richest continent on the planet Earth, will be able to speak with one voice and ensure that our people get the rightful share of the wealth of this Earth,” he said.
“We are not asking for charity, we are only asking for fairness in the international world markets. We want to see that Africans can add value to raw materials and that Africans are respected.”
He also called for the continent to consider implementing a unified visa system to facilitate easier movement between African countries.
“The continent should rethink about having one visa to enable people to move from one country to another with ease,” Raila concluded, reinforcing his vision for a more integrated and fair Africa.
