Malawi Airlines staff were forced to remain in their plane at an airport in Botswana during President Lazarus Chakwera’s trip on Friday.
The employees who include four Cabin Crew, an engineer and two pilots were told that they should not disembark the plane because they did not produce Covid-19 certificates.
Ironically, Malawi Airlines requires passengers to produce Covid-19 certificates showing Coronavirus test results before they board a plane.
According to Nation Online, the airline believed that the employees would not require certificate in Botswana as they were expected to return to Malawi the same day.
But at the airport in Gaborone, the Malawi Airlines staff were not allowed to go to the airport terminal to refresh.
“All this is due to their company’s (Malawian Airlines) negligence as they took it for granted since it’s a return trip within a day.
“It is embarrassing as it means that they have to wait right there in the plane up until the President finishes all his meetings and that will be obviously too late,” the Nation reported.
Chakwera went to Botswana on Friday morning to attend the one day Extraordinary SADC Troika Summit of the Organ for Defence and Security, which ended Friday afternoon.
SADC leaders at the summit have agreed on the United Nations proposal to reduce number of troops in the Force Intervention Brigade in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking before departing back for Malawi, Chakwera said SADC leaders are committed to ensure that peace and stability is maintained in the Region.
“We have agreed to continue contributing troops to the Force Intervention Brigade in Democratic Republic of Congo but on reduced numbers,” said Chakwera.
Chakwera also said that the meeting has also agreed to tackle terrorism through the establishment of Anti-terrorism Centre.
The Malawi leader arrived back home Friday evening.
