Taxpayer-funded Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has hit at Parliament for the gender-insensitive ad hoc committee picked to investigate the military plane crash that killed former vice-president Saulos Chilima and eight others in June 2024.
In a letter dated March 26, 2026 addressed to the Clerk of Parliament Fiona Kalemba, MHRC chairperson Chikondi Chijozi-Jere said the committee’s composition does not comply with requirements of Section 11 of the Gender Equality Act (2013); hence, not gender compliant.
Among others, Section 11 of the Gender Equality Act mandates a 60/40 gender quota in public service recruitment, ensuring neither gender holds less than 40 percent of positions for equitable representation.
Of the 13 committee members, only one is female, representing 7.6 percent. This means to meet the 40 percent target of female representation, the committee would need five to six female legislators.
The 7.6 percent is also well below 21 percent female representation in the current 2025-2030 Parliament cohort, which has 49 women.
Legislators making up the committee include Gilbert Khonyongwa, Chipalamoto Nkhwazi, James Mpunga and Dumisani Lindani from the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP); Ismail Mkumba from United Democratic Front (UDF) and People’s Party’s (PP) Beatrice Mwale.
From Malawi Congress Party (MCP), there is Joshua Malango, Jivason Kadzipatike and Mphatso Boti.
Independent legislators are Walter Nyamilandu Manda, Dailes Moses Bengo and Savel Kafwafwa.
Chijozi-Jere argued that such a composition is unacceptable and should be corrected.
“The commission notes that while political parties may have been invited to nominate members of the committee, the legal obligation to comply with gender representation requirements rests with the appointing authority responsible for constituting the committee,” she said in the letter.
“In this regard, anybody or office that formalises such appointments, including Parliament or the Office of the Speaker, must ensure adherence to the Gender Equality Act.”
She has since asked Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman and Leader of Opposition Simplex Chithyola Banda to immediately take corrective measures.
She further said it is in the interest of MHRC to uphold gender equality and constitutional governance.
When contacted on Friday, Parliament’s spokesperson Ian Mwenye said he needed more time before commenting.
But in a separate interview on Friday, Chijozi-Jere said MHRC remains optimistic that Parliament “would do the right thing” by reconstituting the committee to reflect the required gender quota as stipulated by law.
She said: “Our laws are passed by Parliament so we do not expect the same Parliament to flout that provision and then mock their own laws.”
Last week, Speaker Suleman said the committee will have to report back to Parliament within 90 days.
He said the committee should meet to draw up its terms of reference (ToRs) and a clear roadmap for the inquiry, emphasising efficiency, independence and transparency.
Suleman said the mandate of the committee will expire upon reporting back to Parliament.
About four weeks ago, President Peter Mutharika ordered a fresh inquiry into the military plane crash that killed Chilima and eight others to fill purported gaps in previous investigations.
The eight were former first lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri, Chilima’s guard commander Lukas Kapheni, aide-de-camp Chisomo Chimaneni, medical officer Dan Kanyemba, Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy chief of protocol Abdul Lapukeni, Colonel Owen Sambalopa, Major Flora Selemani and Major Wales Aidin.
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Charles Mhango, who Mutharika tasked to study two previous reports on the June 10 2024 military plane crash in Viphya Plantation in Mzimba District, told Parliament four weeks that past investigations were riddled with gaps and failed to bring closure.
Mhango told Parliament that Mutharika, who returned to State House following his win in the September 16 2025 General Election, directed that the probe be conducted through a parliamentary committee and bolstered by international aviation accident experts.
A June 2025 German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation Report attributed the fatal crash to the crew’s failure to control the flight in adverse weather, citing low-altitude in marginal conditions, poor situation awareness and inadequate pre-flight preparation.
An earlier interim report had revealed the aircraft had no cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder and that its emergency locator transmitter battery had expired in 2004.
The immediate past governing MCP administration under Lazarus Chakwera appointed a commission of inquiry chaired by High Court of Malawi Judge Jabbar Alide.
In its findings, it too ruled out foul play, citing adverse weather and human error as the cause of the accident.
The inquiry also found that the crew’s certifications were not up to date and they flew without obtaining a weather briefing.
It further said search and rescue operations were at one point suspended.
But despite the findings, questions have persisted among family members and sections of the public.
