President Lazarus Chakwera has met with the leader of the Catholic church, Pope Francis at the Apostolic Palace, Vatican.
The Malawi leader who is on an official tour at the Vatican said he has discussed several important issues bordering on bilateral relations between Malawi and the state of the Vatican.
Writing on his Facebook page, Chakwera said he was delighted to have an audience with the Pope as the tour has also provided him with an opportunity to learn about servant-leadership.
“I did say that I had come not only representing the Malawian people, a significant portion of which are Catholics but also as a student and disciple, eager to continue learning about servant-leadership that puts the needs of the people first,” Chakwera wrote.
The president said he also took the time to condole the people on the tragic death of former Malawi vice president, Saulos Chilima who died along with 8 others in a military plane accident in Chikangawa forest, Mzimba District.
“I intimated that the late Dr.Chilima who was a devout catholic and source of inspiration for millions of Malawians thanked the pontiff for the exceptional leadership and ministry of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi in shepherding Malawians through the daze of shock, grief, and confusion that followed the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of Chilima,” said Chakwera.
Pope Francis has also directed that Chakwera should meet with the Vatican’s secretary of state, Pietro Parolin, before his departure to discuss ways of strengthening bilateral relations between Malawi and the Vatican.
