A sombre mood has engulfed people at Chimpikizo village in the area of Senior Chief Chamthunya where the body of Patricia Dzimbiri, former First Lady of Malawi, is expected to be buried this afternoon.
Scores of people are every passing minute flocking to the funeral of Dzimbiri who died on Monday in a plane crash in Chikangawa forest, Mzimba District alongside the country’s Vice President Saulos Chilima and seven others.
Some of the notable faces currently seen include; former president of the Republic of Malawi Dr. Joyce Banda, Minister of water and sanitation, Abida Mia, second deputy speaker of Parliament Aisha Adams, leader of the People’s Development Party, Kondwani Nankhumwa, leader of the United Democratic Front, Lilian Patel, former reserve bank Governor Dalitso Kabambe.
The tragic accident happened around the Chikangawa Forest area when Chilima and his entourage were on their way to the funeral ceremony of former Justice Minister and Attorney General, Ralph Kasambara.
It was reported that the military plane failed to land at Mzuzu Airport due to bad weather and the captain was advised to return to the Kamuzu International Airport for a safe landing.
However, the plane vanished on the radar at around 10:10 AM, a development that saw the Malawi Defence Force alerting President Lazarus Chakwera.
The search for the missing plane commenced at around 4 PM before it was found in the area the following day with no survivors.
Former president Dr.Bakili Maluzi, former vice president Khumbo Kachali, Atupele Muluzi, Felix Njawala are also among the high profile individuals in attendance
