The family of Vice-President Saulos Chilima, who died in a plane crash alongside eight others, has welcomed the commission of inquiry into the tragedy that President Lazarus Chakwera has instituted.
In a brief telephone interview on Saturday, the family representative Dr. Ben Chilima, said they welcome the commission.
He said: “We are very happy that at last it has been appointed. We hope the commission will do the best job that is satisfactory to the family and the other families. We don’t want compromises.”
The inquiry, which comes almost five months after the plane crash, and amid growing calls for Chakwera to set up one, was announced on Friday night.
In a statement, Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba said High Court Judge Jabbar Alide will lead the commission which also comprises members of the clergy, chiefs, legal experts, and civil society leaders.
They will take oath of office tomorrow at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
Saulos Chilima’s widow, Mary, UTM Party, opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Democratic Front (UDF), Alliance for Democracy (Aford), Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and some CSOs have in recent months publicly called for the inquiry.
UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala did not pick up our calls on Saturday but UDF spokesperson Dyson Jangia said despite being instituted late, the inquiry would help Malawians understand what happened for the military plane to crash.
He said: “We commend the President for instituting the commission of inquiry. Malawians deserve to know the truth of what happened and caused this tragic accident. A commission of inquiry is the start of a healing process.”
DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba on Saturday asked for more time to consult when asked about his party’s reaction while Aford president Enock Chihana was not available on his known mobile number.
MHRC chairperson Chikondi Chijozi also said she needed more time to consult.
Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) had planned to hold demonstrations on Wednesday to force the Oresident to institute an inquiry on the matter.
Its executive director Sylvester Namiwa has been incorporated in the inquiry. When asked on Saturday about his reaction, Namiwa asked that we give him more time.
But in a separate interview, Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson Gift Trapence said while the President needs to be commended for setting up the inquiry, it should have been set earlier.
He said: “Our expectations are that the commission of inquiry will come up with comprehensive terms of references in order to come up with a report that will be comprehensive enough to respond to different questions that Malawians have had on the plane crash.”
Trapence further said HRDC expects the inquiry to do a professional job and that its findings will be made public after being presented to the President.
The President has instituted the commission of inquiry under Section 2 (1) of the Commission of Inquiry Act of 2014 and it has been mandated to examine circumstances leading to the plane crash.
Besides addressing matters outlined in its terms of reference pertaining to the commission, it is supposed to submit a report on its findings to the President on or before November 30 2024.
This means it has been given a month and four days’ timeframe.
Good governance commentator Undule Mwakasungula in a statement on Saturday said they expect the President to act on the inquiry recommendations.
“This is the only way we could ensure that this issue of the aircraft accident is fully addressed and that the country moves forward. I also pray that the recommendations of the commission will not only provide clarity about what happened but also serve as a tool for healing and unity of our nation,” he said.
Writing on his Facebook page Friday night, private practice lawyer Khumbo Soko, who was Chilima’s close ally and part of his legal team, said: “This is not about pointing fingers. It’s about getting answers to obvious and not so obvious questions that to date have remained unanswered.”
Other members of the inquiry are Monsignor Patrick Thawale, Pastor Toney Nyirenda, Bishop Mary Nkosi, Dr Sunduzwayo Madise, Inkosi Ya Makhosi M’mbelwa V, Senior Chief Makwangwala, Justin Mkandawire, and Brigadier Cosgrove Mituka (Retired, Emma Kaliya, Sylvester Namiwa, Dixie Kwatani, Professor Nyengo Mkandawire, Allan Chinula, Esther Chioko, Nimia Kambiri Mzembe, Lidia Chiotha, Dr Ruth Mwandira, and Mirriam Wemba.
Secretaries of the commission are Chizaso Nyirongo and Paul Chiotcha.
Minister of Information and Digitalisation Moses Kunkuyu, who is the official government spokesman, on Friday night said the inquiry team will probe all circumstances surrounding and leading to the accident of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Aircraft MAF-TO3.
Preliminary findings of German investigators show that, among others, the MDF plane had no cockpit voice recorder (CVR) or a flight data recorder.
According to the United States based National Transportation Safety Board, the CVR records radio transmissions and sounds in the flight deck to aid subsequent investigation should an accident or incident occur.
Apart from Chilima, those aboard the MDF aircraft who perished with him were former first lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri, who was also his special assistant, his guard commander Lukas Kapheni, aide-de-camp Chisomo Chimaneni, medical officer Dan Kanyemba and deputy chief of staff in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abdul Lapukeni.
The flight was operated by Colonel Owen Sambalopa as the Pilot-in-Command, Major Flora Selemani Ngwilinji as the Second-in-Command and aircraft engineer Major Wellece Aidin.
