Malawi presidential plane flight crew detained in Botswana
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.
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.
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
Manyazi ndithu
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
This was not minister’s responsibility rather it is the responsibility of Chief of Staff at State House.
I thot kuti anaika malamulo kwa ose olowa mmalawi muno ku ma airports including Covid resurt certificate. So izi nde zitiso.
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!
Well done Botswana! Teach the Malawians that the rule of law reigns in Botswana, unlike here in Malawi where nobody follows the law!
Boma ilo! koyenda kuli konse kumangotoledwa uchitsiru, mudziwe lero kuti maiko ambiri amatsatira malamulo sizopusa mumapanga kunozi, ngati simusintha kachitidwe kazinthu muzingoyaluka, boma lophunzira ilo!
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… Read more »
There is no law and order in Malawi.
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.