Raila Odinga, the former Prime Minister and Azimio leader, attended the funeral service of Malawi’s Vice President on Sunday.
Saulos Chilima, 51, perished in a plane crash on June 10 while flying aboard a military aircraft to the northern town of Nkhata Bay.
His funeral was conducted at the Bingu National Stadium, where officials and family paid emotional tributes.
Thousands of Malawians attended the funeral ceremony at the national stadium.
Raila noted in his homage that the news of the tragedy stunned Kenyans and the entire African continent.
“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,”.
He said Chiliima was a young person with a promising life in the country.
Raila added that the Malawi vice president stood for the rights of the people of Malawi.
“He wanted to ensure that there is fairness and democracy in the division of the resources of the country.
He said Kenya shares in the grief of Malawi as a similar incident occurred in Kenya claiming the lives of General Francis Ogolla and other military officers.
The Azimio boss took the opportunity to showcase his Pan Africanism spirit by advocating for unity in the continent and fairness in access to resources from Western countries.
“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,” Raila said.
He suggested that the continent reconsider having a single visa to allow individuals to travel from one country to another with ease.
Chillima’s entire crew and several passengers on board, including former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri, died.
President Lazarus Chakwera claimed the jet crashed owing to poor visibility caused by severe weather, while Chilima’s UTM party demanded thorough and impartial inquiries into the incident.
Chilima had a successful career in the commercial sector, holding many senior, well-paid posts before making what many considered a dangerous decision to enter politics at the age of 40.
