By Chisomo Phiri
The remarkable life of Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima came to an end on Monday June 10,2024 in a tragic plane crash in Chikangawa Forest in Mzimba District, leaving behind his legacy of dedication and service.
Born on February 12, 1973, Chilima was a devout Roman Catholic and loving husband to Mary, with whom he had two children, Sean and Elizabeth.
The late VP, affectionately known as SKC (Saulos Klaus Chilima),took office as Malawi’s Vice-President on May 30, 2014, and was re-elected on June 28, 2020.
His political journey took a significant turn on June 6, 2018, when he parted ways with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and founded the United Transformation Movement (UTM) Party, which he launched on July 21, 2018, at Masintha Ground in Lilongwe.
In the May 21, 2019, Tripartite Elections, Chilima secured an impressive 1,018,369 votes, just 10 months after forming UTM Party.
His political party played a crucial role in the Tonse Alliance, which won the court-sanctioned Fresh Presidential Election on June 23, 2020, ousting Mutharika’s DPP from power.
Chilima’s academic achievements include a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Computer Science, and Economics from the University of Malawi (1990-1994), a Master’s Degree in Economics (2003-2005), and a PhD in Knowledge Management from the University of Bolton (2011-2015).
Before entering politics, he made a name for himself in the corporate world, serving as managing director for Airtel Malawi and working with various companies, including Leasing and Finance Company, Unilever Malawi, Coca Cola, Carlsberg, and Southern Bottlers Malawi Limited.
