By Chisomo Phiri
The Umodzi Party (UP) led by Thomas Kaumba has given the government five days to explain to Malawians what it plans to do regarding a new investigation into the plane crash that killed the country’s former vice president, Saulos Chilima, along with 8 other people in June, 2024.
Speaking at a press briefing in Blantyre on Monday,Kaumba said that if the government fails to take action on the matter within the deadline, it would confirm that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had lied about its commitment to addressing the issue.
Kaumba also expressed concern over the way the distribution of agricultural inputs is being handled, describing it as disappointing that several people are sharing fertilizer bags weighing 50 kilograms.
Minister of Justice Charles Mhango elier said he would look into the ongoing investigation of the plane crash and stressed the need to brief the president on what actions can be taken regarding the matter.
Chilima, died in a plane crash on June 10, 2024, when a Malawi Defence Force Dornier 228 aircraft he was travelling in went down in the Chikangawa Forest Reserve in the Northern Region.
The plane was en route from the capital, Lilongwe, to Mzuzu to attend a funeral of former Attorney General (AG ) Ralph Kasambara,and all those on board were killed on impact after the aircraft disappeared from radar amid poor weather conditions.
Chilima’s death marked one of Malawi’s deadliest aviation tragedies and sparked calls for a thorough investigation into the accident’s causes.
Subsequent inquiries pointed to adverse weather and pilot error as key contributing factors, and a Commission of Inquiry was established in October 2024 to examine the circumstances of the crash.
