Malawi’s debate over the fatal June 2024 aircraft crash that killed then Vice-President Saulos Chilima is resurfacing sharply, with calls across party lines pushing government to authorise a new and more comprehensive investigation.
Eisenhower Mkaka — a senior Malawi Congress Party (MCP) MP and former secretary-general — has publicly broken ranks with key figures in his own party by endorsing opposition demands to revisit the probe into the military aircraft crash that killed Chilima and eight others. His position marks the first major instance of a high-ranking MCP figure formally supporting a second inquiry.
Mkaka told parliament that the initial findings — which attributed the crash primarily to bad weather and pilot error — had lost credibility because they were rejected by sections of parliament, particularly from the then-opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
“The new administration can come in as an independent arbiter,” Mkaka said. “We also want to know the truth.”
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Charles Mhango has confirmed his ministry is currently analysing the existing Commission of Inquiry report to decide if legal grounds exist to re-open the case.
The United Transformation Movement (UTM) — Chilima’s own party — is also intensifying its demands. UTM leader in parliament Patricia Kaliati is alleging that the military aircraft used on the day of the crash had insufficient fuel, pushing for a full forensic review of flight data and fuel records.
Chilima, widely viewed as a potential future president, died months before Malawi’s September 2024 general elections. His death created a leadership void within the former governing alliance involving MCP and UTM, and the issue remains deeply tied to national emotions and political narratives.
A fresh inquiry could have major political repercussions. It comes at a time when the MCP, now in opposition after electoral defeat, is facing internal fractures over its own presidential succession. The Chilima crash remains one of the most sensitive national issues in recent memory — and pressure is building for answers that many Malawians feel they never received.
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Source:Africa Publicity
