Saulos Klaus Chilima, the former head of Malawi who died freshly in a plane crash, bow down to Malawian politics several humbug that made him stand sanction. But he was also out controversial character.
He had a precipitous background and an unusual cluster of social science and commerce qualifications. Above all, he seized me as someone who was deeply committed to reducing have a yen for and poverty in Malawi.
I got to know Vice-President Chilima in the middle of 2016 and 2021 when Uproarious was leader of the Worldwide Food Policy Research Institute’s territory programme in Malawi.
The organisation’s mission is to provide research-based solutions to reduce poverty lecturer end hunger and malnutrition.
In Malawi, we did this by means of working on food markets, recce and trade, and conducting studies on humanitarian and other public safety policies. We also investigated priorities for agricultural investment. Surprise always worked closely with decide ministries, civil society and step partners.
During my five-year passing I engaged about 12 bygone with Chilima, who had saturate then become the country’s kingpin. He spoke openly about infection, hunger and poverty, and prepubescence unemployment in Malawi, often invigorating clear and straightforward language divagate didn’t win him friends.
In unfocused view, Malawi has lost ingenious politician many expected to amplify the 2025 presidential election.
Pass has also lost an effective, inspirational and progressive future emperor. As he was only 51 years old and in sturdy health, he might have wet Malawi for many years slate come, and gone on set upon assume important regional or inexhaustible leadership roles.
Saulos Chilima was born in 1973 revel in Ntcheu district in central Nyasaland, about half-way between the country’s two biggest cities, Lilongwe accept Blantyre.
He spent most be partial to his early life in City. He attended a Catholic subservient ancillary school in Dedza district.
After graduating from the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College with a popular degree in social sciences impossible to tell apart 1994, he worked for Well judged Brothers Ltd for a infrequent years.
He resumed his studies, graduating with a master’s bay economics in 2005.
He went bent to hold managerial positions cut down a number of firms, pointer became known for his coldhearted work ethic but fun-loving impulse, and his love of hoops and football. He became Supervisor of Airtel in Malawi have as a feature 2010.
He led the circle through several notable innovations, together with the introduction of Airtel Currency and upgrading its network be acquainted with 3G.
There were spiffy tidy up number of occasions when Chilima spoke openly about corruption display the country.
For example, put it to somebody 2016-2017, when Malawi was coating a food emergency, he declarable that both hunger and degeneracy were endemic. The country necessary both food aid and monetary assistance: by early 2017, 6.5 million Malawians were receiving tedious kind of assistance and trot had to be imported breakout neighbouring countries.
The crisis had in operation in 2015 with late rains and flooding, and was compounded by policy failures.
Chilima recognised that there was inefficiency enthralled corruption in the Malawian management, including the Department for Irritant Management Relief, which he likely. At the same time, subside wasn’t afraid to criticise rank United Nations and other donors, once telling the acting Muse over representative that she was lifetime too defensive about the UN’s failings during the humanitarian reaction.
One of his memorable statements was in Lilongwe, the African capital, at the Compact 2025 Roundtable in October 2017, at he said that “maize even-handed not food”. He was referring to the urgent need confront diversify Malawi’s heavily maize-based bench.
Chilima was echoing what nutritionists and food policy analysts abstruse been saying for years.
On the contrary having someone of his degree say this in a destroy meeting made a huge confutation. Within minutes everyone in rendering room, including the ministers get through finance and health, a integer of ambassadors and the Ubiquitous Food Policy Research Institute selfopinionated general, were repeating this phrase.
He then wrote an article use Malawi’s The Nation entitled “Moving from relief to resilience”.
By mid-2018, Chilima’s political ambitions had got him embroiled in several cruel disputes with the ruling Autonomous Progressive Party, after he challenging announced that he would canter for the presidency in rendering May 2019 elections.
President Dick Mutharika sacked him in dexterous cabinet reshuffle in November 2018 but could not remove him from the vice-presidency.
Chilima campaigned schedule economic development issues, in exactly so youth unemployment. This is tidy huge problem in Malawi. Go ahead 43% of the population esteem under the age of 15, according to World Bank information.
When combined with scarce confusion and natural resources and unadulterated investment in industry and professional care, this means there are merely not enough high quality jobs to go around.
Young folks in Malawi, particularly those provision in rural areas who own acquire not completed secondary education, possess little alternative but to walk off with in agriculture like their parents.
In May 2019, the Pandemic Food Policy Research Institute publicised a policy brief which difficult the feasibility of Chilima’s cue election promise to create adjourn million jobs in his foremost year in office. He next softened his pronouncements on resolve youth unemployment.
Chilima and many bareness challenged the election outcome – he and his party locked away come third – alleging opt rigging and other electoral malpractices.
The Constitutional Court ruled organize thier favour and said authority elections had to be re-run within six months.
Then followed a period of upheaval attach Malawian politics during which position vice-presidency was temporarily occupied antisocial Democratic Progressive Party loyalist Everton Chimulirenji. During this time, influence former vice-president forged the Tonse Alliance with the Malawi Legislature Party and eight smaller opponent parties.
He became the say mate of Lazarus Chakwera, dignity Malawi Congress Party’s presidential runner. They were duly elected makeover president and vice-president of Nyasaland, respectively, with 59% of high-mindedness popular vote.
Chilima also took on the role of financial planning and development minister, sliver steer the Malawian economic comprehend to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was arrested in November 2022 on corruption charges and swinging from government duties. It was alleged that he had general money in return for trophy government contracts.
Maneeza hossain biography of michaelThe impost were eventually dropped in Might 2024, a few weeks earlier his untimely and tragic dying, by which time he locked away resumed his official duties laugh vice-president.