Presidential aide Rev Kamwendo calls Malawians to prayer over missing plane
Special Advisor to the President on Religious Affairs, Reverend Brian Kamwendo, has made an impassioned appeal to all religious leaders and Malawian citizens to go into prayers as the search for the missing place continues.
Malawians were on Monday greeted by news that a Malawi Defence Force Aircraft Number MAF TO3, which was carrying Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima to Mzuzu to attend the funeral of Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, late Honourable Ralph Kasambara.
The aircraft departed Kamuzu International Airport with Chilima and nine other individuals on board, including Mr. Lukas Kapheni, Mr. Chisomo Chimaneni, Ms. Gloria Mtukule, Ms. Shanil Dzimbiri, Mr. Dan Kanyemba, Mr. Abdul Lapukeni, as well as Colonel Sambalopa, Major Selemani, and Major Aidin, who were the MDF officers operating the aircraft.
However, upon arrival in Mzuzu, the pilot was unable to land the plane due to poor visibility occasioned by bad weather, and Aviation Authorities advised the aircraft to return to Lilongwe, but the authorities soon lost contact with the aircraft.
The news has caused anxiety among Malawians, including men and women of the collar.
Reverend Kamwendo said it is against this background that his office decided to mobilize Malawians to seek God’s intervention.
In his ecclesiastical note addressed to leaders of both main and protestant churches in Malawi, the presidential aide describes the missing of a plane as a national tragedy deserving national prayers.
“Your Graces, Your Lordships, Moderators, Ecclesiastical Presidents, Secretaries General and General Secretaries; as we are aware that His Excellency, among other great interventions and initiatives already taken regarding the Missing Plane Carrying the Vice President, His Excellency the President has directed that we should also pray. I therefore, plead, that we organize ourselves in our structures for special prayers on the same starting from tomorrow morning. I will also call our secretariats for a proper direction on the same, as it relates to State-Faith Sector Collaboration on the same,” reads the brief statement Reverend Kamwendo has written.
In his national address on Monday night, President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera announced that he has instructed the MDF and all the other security agencies to intensify the search until the plane is found.
“I know that this is a heartbreaking situation. I know that we are all frightened and concerned. I too am concerned. But I want to assure you that I am sparing no available resource to find that plane, and I am holding on to every fibre of hope that we will find survivors. We have already contacted our neighbouring countries, as well as development partners, including the US Government, the British Government, the Norwegian Government, and the Israeli Government, who have all offered support in different forms, including the use of specialized technologies that will enhance our capacity to find the plane sooner, and I am most grateful for this support,” he said.
President Chakwera also cautioned Malawians, especially media houses, against spreading fake news about the matter, stressing that MDF is the most reliable institution that can provide updates.
“Until I address you again, I ask you to use the MDF updates as an official source of information so that you are not misled by hearsay, and more than anything, I ask you to pray for those who were on board and for their families. But come what may, I assure you that God is with us and will see us through this dark tunnel, especially if we stick together and help each other,” he said.
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