Chakwera declares 21 days of national mourning , more funeral arrangements to be done

Malawi President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has declared 21 days of national mourning.

In a statement which office of the Secretary to the President and cabinet has released, the 21 days of national mourning is with immediate effect.

The declaration follows the passing of the Malawi Vice President, Dr Saulos Chilima, and the nine others when the plane they were using crash- landed in Thungwa Forest Reserve in Mzimba

“His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi has directed that the nation observes a period of twenty-one (21) days of mourning commencing today, Tuesday 11 June 2024 to Monday 1 July, 2024 in honour of the Late Right Honourable Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, Vice
President of the Republic of Malawi and eight officials whom we lost in a tragic plane crash on Monday, 10 June 2024, near Chikangawa, Mzimba,” reads the statement in part.

Chakwera also directed that all flags be flown at half-mast throughout the period of mourning.

As a matter of background, national days of mourning are designated by governments as a means of honouring a person or persons of particular significance to their country who have recently passed away.

Most commonly held to mark the death of a head of state or the advent of a national tragedy like a fatal accident or natural disaster, flags are flown at half-mast in tribute to the departed and a mood of solemnity abides.

The occasion gives citizens the chance to reflect on the dead, consider their life and work, and perhaps even meditate on their own mortality.

How long a period of national mourning lasts depends entirely on the country: it can be a single day or several weeks.