By Amb Emmanuel Mwamba
Malawi should be part of Eastern Province of Zambia
In a famous historical incident on September 17, 1968, Malawian President Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda publicly threatened to annex the Eastern Province of Zambia.
During his annual address to the Malawi Congress Party, Banda announced an expansionist policy claiming that Malawi’s true historical borders extended to the Luangwa River, which would absorb Zambia’s Eastern Province.
His expansionist map also claimed three districts from Tanzania and parts of Mozambique to give landlocked Malawi access to the Indian Ocean.
The geopolitical standoff unfolded through a series of dramatic political and military escalations:
The Confrontation and Military Response
Zambian Ultimatum: President Kenneth Kaunda fiercely rejected the claims, warning Banda that Zambia was fully prepared to go to war to defend its territory.
Tanzanian Warning: Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere backed Kaunda, publicly warning Banda that he did not understand the “wrath of Kenneth Kaunda” and should cease his territorial claims.
Troop Deployment: Days after the speech, the Zambian military deployed troops from the Gondar Barracks in eastern Zambia to the border villages. Armed Zambian soldiers marched visibly near the border, successfully intimidating Banda into backing down.
This story below reminded me of the facts above
No toilet on VVIP plane, Parliament told
Reported by LT Reporter
Former Special Assistant for Protocol in the Office of the Vice President, Davie Kalilombe, has told Parliament that the aircraft that crashed on 10 June 2024 while carrying former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others had no toilet onboard, even though it was used for VVIP travel.
Kalilombe made the revelation on Thursday when he appeared before the ad-hoc committee investigating the Chikangawa crash in Lilongwe.
He said the lack of basic facilities on the plane stood out to him because the aircraft was regularly assigned to transport the country’s top leaders.
He told the committee that his role involved coordinating travel arrangements, passenger movement and boarding procedures.
Kalilombe also explained that he had earlier assisted with protocol duties during the Korea-Africa Summit in South Korea, including scheduling, compliance and the handling of official gifts.
According to Kalilombe, the delegation returned to Malawi in stages because of a demanding programme, with Chilima continuing engagements before flying back through South Africa.
On the day of the crash flight, he said he arrived at Kamuzu International Airport to help with final preparations and confirm passenger arrangements with airport and protocol officials.
He described the boarding process as normal before the aircraft later lost contact and disappeared from sight.
#LilongweTimes (03-07-2026)