A somber funeral ceremony for former Malawian First Lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri was disrupted when UTM Party women attempted to prevent former President Joyce Banda from delivering her eulogy.
The incident occurred when the director of ceremonies invited Banda to take the floor, prompting the women to boo and try to block her from speaking.
However, the situation was defused when former President Bakili Muluzi, who was also Dzimbiri’s husband, intervened.
“She [Banda] has been a member of our family and I have asked her to say something. They worked together with the late Shanil, so allow her to speak,” Muluzi appealed to the crowd.
Banda eventually took the podium and commended the UTM women for their love towards the late Dzimbiri.
“Although you disagreed that I should speak, you didn’t know we have been working together here,” she said.
The ceremony was further disrupted when Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara attempted to speak on behalf of President Lazarus Chakwera, but was met with murmurs of protest from the crowd.
Muluzi again intervened, urging the crowd to respect the family’s wishes and allow all scheduled speakers to proceed.
“Please respect us, the family, by not bringing politics here. Allow everyone who is on the program to speak to do so. They are here to join us in mourning,” Muluzi said, restoring calm to the proceedings.
Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri died on Monday in a plane crash in Chikangawa forest, Mzimba District, alongside Vice President Saulos Chilima and seven others.
