Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has queried the composition of the 13-member ad hoc parliamentary committee to reinvestigate the June 2024 military plane crash that killed former Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others.
Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman yesterday unveiled the team in the National Assembly following President Peter Mutharika’s directive for a fresh inquiry.
But his announcement immediately triggered uproar in the House with MCP legislators accusing the Speaker of stacking the committee in favour of the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The committee comprises four DPP members, three from MCP and one each from UTM Party, People’s Party (PP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) alongside three independents.
MCP chief whip Moses Kunkuyu alleged that the independents roped in were all aligned to the government side, thereby giving DPP a working majority.
at the crash site. | Nation
“In reality, this is a seven-member bloc leaning towards the government. That raises serious questions about the credibility, acceptability and eventual outcome of the inquiry,” he said.
Kunkuyu, who was Minister of Information when the plane crashed on June 10 2024 in Viphya Plantation, said MCP had proposed a more balanced selection of independents.
However, the MCP’s concerns were dismissed by both the Speaker and Leader of the House Jappie Mhango.
The position stirred tension and disorder, prompting Suleman to eject two legislators, namely Nkhotakota Central MP Sylvester Ayuba James (independent) and Lilongwe Likuni legislator Kelvin Mphande (MCP).
In dismissing the claims of bias, Mhango insisted that all parties submitted nominees based on the strength of their parliamentary representation while the Speaker independently selected the unaffiliated legislators on merit.
“The key word is independents. It does not matter where they are coming from,” Mhango said, adding that those chosen were capable of adding value to the inquiry.
The Speaker has since directed the committee to begin work immediately and report within 90 days.
The fresh probe follows Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Charles Mhango’s review that flagged gaps in earlier investigations, which attributed the crash in Viphya Plantation to bad weather and human error, ruling out foul play.
