Malawi Mourns Vice President Saulos Chilima

Mourning Malawians gathered in the capital Lilongwe, where Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima Chilima's body lay in state at Bingu stadium.

Chilima and nine others were killed when the military plane they were traveling in crashed, President Lazarus Chakwera said.

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera has declared one day a public holiday to allow Malawians to attend, or follow, the funeral ceremony and burial of the country's Vice President Saulos Chilima who died in a plane crash on June 10.

Minister of Information and Digitalisation Moses Kunkuyu made the announcement at a press briefing in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, when he updated the public on the vice president's state funeral program.

The body of Chilima is scheduled for burial at his home village in Ntcheu, about 165 km south of Lilongwe.

Meanwhile, a number of foreign dignitaries have confirmed to attend the burial of the fallen vice president, according to the minister.

Chilima's body was taken to the New Parliament Building in Lilongwe. The body is scheduled to be taken to the 40,000-seater Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe for the public to pay their last respect to Chilima, before it is taken to Ntcheu for burial.

Chilima, along with eight other officials, including the country's former First Lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri, were on their way to the funeral of former attorney general and justice minister Ralph Kasambara, when the crash happened due to bad weather, according to authorities.

President Chakwera has since declared 21 days of mourning. During the period, national flags will fly at half-staff in all public institutions across the country, while any public celebratory activities have been halted.

Rabbecca Adda Donto, the United Nations resident coordinator in Malawi, described the loss of Chilima as "huge", praising his visibility, energy, and positive outlook.