Malawi presidential plane flight crew detained in Botswana

November 27, 2020 Nyasa Times Reporter 42 Comments

President Lazarus Chakwera  who last week endured a  seven-hour delay on his journey back from South Africa which included “vague security reasons” for thorough checks of the presidential plane had another damage to his dignity after his trip from Botswana on Friday  shrouded with controversy of the flight crew being detained.

President Chakwera (Front) arriving from Botswana through Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe. Pic (C) by Daniel Namwini-Mana

Botswana authorities detained for more than six hours the presidential plane Malawi Airlines employees  due to lack of Covid-19 certificate.

Chakwera arrived in Botswana  Friday morning but the crew on a flight that flew the Malawi leader were left stranded at the airport in Gaberone as they were  denied to disembark from the plane due to their failure to produce Covid-19 certificates as required in that country.

The stranded seven employees included four Cabin Crew, an engineer and two pilots.

The crew was denied access to the airport terminal.

A source said all this was due to their company’s  -Malawi Airlines – negligence as they took it for granted because it was a  day return trip.

“It is more worrying that when you switch off all the systems of a plane after landing, there is always humid inside the plane as all the cooling system is also switched off. The crew were baking in the plane,” the source said.

Malawi Airlines Spokesperson Joseph Josiah could not immediately be drawn into commenting on the development, saying he needed to gather information.

Chakwera travelled to attend the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Extraordinary Troika Summit of the Organ, on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, in Gaborone Botswana.

The meeting iwas being chaired by the Chairperson of the SADC Organ Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana.

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42 replies on “Malawi presidential plane flight crew detained in Botswana”

  1. what about the mission in Botwana, they could have alerted everyone. Mwaona the problem of keeping cadets in embassy, they will play on you. this is embarassing. Chotsani macadet baba muma embassy mo. muzingopanga blunder ndi za ziiii

  3. I see how disorganised is that noman chisale wa lero AKA Nkaka watever or zakezake Chikhosi. I dont like these guys. Where ever they puts their noses something must go wrong. Imagine 6hrs. Penaso ma choices anu mr president tayamba kudera nkhawa.they weresuppose to make sure that all the docs are in order b4 anything. No wonder Nkaka anaba/anathawitsa PaPa my foot inu osadziwapo kanthu. Idiots

  4. I thot kuti anaika malamulo kwa ose olowa mmalawi muno ku ma airports including Covid resurt certificate. So izi nde zitiso.

  5. They were not detained but were told not to disembark from their plane because they did not have the required covid 19 certificates. It is a requirement in Botswana and the crew should have been aware of that! This is the result of taking things the ‘Malawi way’ of kudelela!

  6. Well done Botswana! Teach the Malawians that the rule of law reigns in Botswana, unlike here in Malawi where nobody follows the law!

  8. What a load of bull…!
    This is ignorance at it’s most basic…it just shows that Botswana does not understand how Covid-19 is transmitted. Surely, they could wear masks, keep to social distancing, wash hands, avoid contact with other people, etc.

    How long is the Certificate valid for; and does it offer protection…we have all seen how sports bubbles such as professional football teams do test positive to Covid-19 and isolate for 14 days till re-test.

    I bet some loadmaster climbed aboard to offer the crew the flight paperwork for the Captain’s signature; fuel payment or indeed give the flight weather brief. Were they checked for Covid-19 certificate compliance or indeed contaminating the aircraft? This is just making a mountain out of a molehill. A true ‘Fake News’ media feed…

    If anything, Covid-19 infections are more rampant in Botswana than the Warm Heart of Africa!

  10. A Chakwera munthu wanji wopanda umunthu, mthumazi ndi manyazi. Kuli konse mudzingopezeka mwanyula. Kuti muoneke kuti ndinu a president munatenga dziko ndi mphuma kumangoyenda yenda. Pangani zoooom meeting zinazi. Kuli technology tsopano kulibe zonjenjemerana ngati kale lija ndi nthawi ya Covid 19 ino. Ndipo palibe president akuyenda yenda koma akumakambirana. Khalani pansi. Ndalama mu tchatira ndegezo gulirani zakudya zabwino mchipatala. Ndipo masiku tikuchotsera awa mpopano siikhala tonse alayasi. Kodi amakulangizani ndi ndani? Muzingochititsidwa manyazi kuli konse. Kulibe President analandilako chipongwe mukulandirachi chifukwa choyenda ngati njoka yoduka mutu. Nsabwe yoyenda yenda inakumana ndi chala.

  11. Botswana is not a banana republic that you can do whatever you feel like. Im glad that they detained them again. Later on they must shift the blame as they did to south Afrika. This is a wakeup call. The other thing you must know is that Malawians who are here in South Africa are now suffering cos of one person so called Bushiri. Malawi government will lose alot of relationships with SADC countries cos of that. I rest my case true.

  12. Utsilu sagawana. I think Malawi has learnt a lot during Chakwera’s short stay on the seat. Kumene malamulo amaseweretsedwa ndi ku Malawi kuno. Kumene mulendo amaopedwa ndi ku Malawi kokha kuno. Look at Bushiri, look at our president himself in South Africa, Tanzania, now in Botswana.

    1. Nawenso, nzako Winnie ndamuti mbuzi, khaya iwe ndikuti chani kaya? Chitsenda iweyo, chitani comment what is in the story, nonsense, idiot!

  13. LMC has one big problem: He is not a details person; he is very much focused on form (his oversized ego and how he is perceived) than on substance. This is going to dog him throughout his presidency unless he makes one major change: He should start asking detailed questions to his Chief of Staff (State Residencies) and the SPC.

    In turn these two should start demanding even more detailed questions and answers from their own staff. Never ever take anything for granted. Everything should be planned to a “t”. LCM, Kampondamgaga and Chikhosi do not have to do the actual work themselves; however, they should ensure that the staff at Kamuzu Palace and at OPC are extremely sharp. Otherwise the unnecessary gaffes in appointments, the flagship AIP, presidential foreign trips will continue.

    Detailed planning and anticipation is everything: We do this for funerals and weddings all the time. Shouldn’t affairs of state require even more planning than that of funerals and weddings??!!

  17. Am happy the president subscribes to the rule of law and his citizens, let alone an airline crew could not abide to a simple regulation. Malawians are so used to doing things with impunity. It’s an embarrassment to a president who is trying hard to put everybody to order. That’s below the belt for Dr Laz

    1. It was detained it wasn’t his country. He had no choice but to follow their laws. Waphunzilapo. Umbuli too much

  20. Learning leadership and government. Just look at people entrusted by the president, Mkaka for foreign affairs etc. Masewela amenewa for our nation. Chakwela will keep on being embarrassed as long as he puts useless people in high important positions.

    2. According to what I have seen in their campaign, Mkaka lacks discipline. He got a post as a reward for insulting DPP officials. This post requires a person of integrity.

      Now it is time for the president to come into real world and change the government; there was a time for rewarding, now it is a time for building a tough institutions with qualified leaders.

  21. Koma nawo aah, zoziyambs dala. In this covid era munthu nkumayenda opanda certificate? Aah, infact Malawian Airlines should make arrangements to have the crew tested every three days.

  22. What’s happening with our beloved Malawi? These people are taking advantage of poverty level to exploit us. First was SA now Botswana aah enough. Maybe the problem is us coz tikuwayendera? Next time will hear the whole entourage detained for weeks or more. I now tend to wonder why the advance team is all about? These are the nitty gritty details for advance team to sort before hand, not kungonyamulana kumakamwa mowa someone is sleeping on job

  23. So the guy is flying chartered plan for all his trips? We demonized the DPP for doing the same. Poti ndife tsaano?

    1. I don’t think it would be feasible to use commercial flights on the Malawi/Botswana route due to connectivity challenges! This is especially so if one has to fly to and from Gaberone on the same day.

  24. Ya Malawians we take everything for granted. Those people who are organising the President’s trips have got a problem.

    1. Yde
      The people organising the President trips do not know their job. Fire all of them and replace with some who are capable. Why travel without covid19 certificate.
      Botswana they are smart as they are protecting their country.

    1. Umeneo ndiye ntima woti zonse ziri bwino a bwana. When things go wrong it is only fair to report things as they are without hiding any information. It would be very embarrasing to learn from a foreign media outlet to report about our domestic issues. During Kamuzu’s era this was the situation. MBC tries to hide news from it’s own people, but Malawians were tuning Focus on Africa on radio to get the news. We are now living in a world of hi-tech, dont ever try to hide anything hoping it will die within the two walls of a building.So, my brother Neno, don’t take us back to Kamuzu Banda’s era.

    2. Ochakwera adakambapo chani chabwino cha Malawi, apart from kunyoza all what APM was doing. Lero its them and have embarrasment to the nation. In govt, there is no try and error guys, u r now facing the tune. Kwatsala, adzakuletsani kutera!

  27. Not long ago the airline’s staff were on strike because of some deductions 😂😂😂😂. Tonse alliance is miserable

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