Centre for Democracy a n d Economic Development Initiative (Cdedi) has said it will hold demonstrations on Thursday demanding an independent commission of inquiry into the plane crash that killed Vice- President Saulos Chilima and eight others.
Cdedi said this in a letter dated October 14, 2024 signed by executive director Sylvester Namiwa and addressed to Lilongwe District Council notifying it of the intention.
commission of inquiry
Reads the letter in part: “These demonstrations are meant to force President Lazarus Chakwera to institute a credible and independent commission of inquiry into the June 10 2024 military plane crash that claimed nine lives, including that of the Vice-President Saulos Chilima and the former First Lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri at Nthungwa in Chikangawa Forest.”
In an interview yesterday, Namiwa said they decided to hold the demonstrations following the expiry of a two-week ultimatum they gave President Chakwera to institute a commission of inquiry.
He said human rights organisations, including Cdedi and members of the general public have been criticising the preliminary report released by the German Federal Bureau Accident Investigation as it falls short of answers to non-technical aspects that led to the plane crash; hence, their call for an independent commission of inquiry.
He said: “We decided to hold the demonstration following the expiry of a two-week ultimatum we had given President Chakwera to institute a commissin of inquiry that could help Malawians understand the circumstances that led to the plane crash.”
development, Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses kunkuyu called for patience from the civil society organisations, saying Chakwera will continue to provide leadership so that the nation knows what caused the plane crash.
According to the minister, President Chakwera displayed sound leadership by engaging the diplomatic community for assistance and requesting an investigation whose preliminary results were released in August.
He said: “While waiting for the comprehensive report President Chakwera will continue providing sound leadership in the nation’s quest to know what caused the plane crash. We will keep the nation informed on any developments.”
In a Facebook post two weeks ago Chilima’s widow Mary asked people to help her in calling for an independent inquiry.
Families of the deceased, Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and the general public have made repeated calls for an independent inquiry.
MHRC. is on record as having said that it was engaging stakeholders to institute a commission of inquiry into the military plane crash.
