Authorities call for fresh investigation into Chilima's death

By Michael Martin//MALAWI

°°°°Kunkuyu: “We still feel the pain”

°°°°Kaliati: “Those who forced Chilima on that plane must face justice”

°°°°“The spirit of UTM still burns,” Fredokiss

Former Information Minister and senior Malawi Congress Party (MCP) official Moses Kunkuyu says the death of former Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima continues to cause deep pain within his party despite public perceptions that they have moved on.

Speaking in an interview, Kunkuyu said MCP welcomes a fresh, independent investigation into the June 2024 plane crash that killed Dr.

He argued that even though an earlier investigation was carried out while MCP was in government, unresolved questions remain and the families of the victims deserve closure.

Kunkuyu further claimed that some individuals within Chilima’s own political circle had “pretended to love him” while secretly plotting their own ambitions remarks that have sparked political debate.

Commenting on the Allan Witika murder case, Kunkuyu said he had no personal knowledge of the incident but was ready to cooperate with any lawful investigation.

On his and Jessie Kabwila’s presence in court alongside 17 people accused of inciting violence, Kunkuyu explained that they attended proceedings to support two youths they personally knew insisting there was “no reason to abandon them.”

In her remarks, Dr. Patricia Kaliati, UTM Secretary General and Member of Parliament has demanded that the government conduct a technical, transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Chilima’s death.

Kaliati said it was unacceptable that a senior state official boarded a military aircraft allegedly without enough maintenance, describing this as “criminal negligence that must be punished.”

“We want those who forced Dr. Chilima onto a plane that was not ready to fly to be arrested. We lost valuable leaders because of carelessness,” she told Parliament earlier.

Kaliati also praised the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), saying that despite political differences, “the DPP never planned to harm Chilima,” contrasting that stance with the previous government’s alleged lack of accountability.

In Parliament, Fredo Penjani Kalua, UTM Youth Campaign Director and musician popularly known as Fredo Kiss, assured Malawians that UTM remains united despite losing its founding leader.

“We are wounded but not destroyed,” Kalua said. “The spirit of Dr. Chilima lives on in our commitment to serve Malawians with integrity and vision.”

He urged government authorities to publish the full findings of all investigations and avoid selective justice, saying transparency was key to restoring public trust.

Commenting on the matter, governance analyst George Chaima praised former President Lazarus Chakwera’s decision to initially set up a Commission of Inquiry, calling it an act of political maturity.

However, Chaima warned that continued unanswered questions around the report could erode confidence.

He said:“If the report is credible, let it be scrutinized. Malawians need answers, not rumours.”

Another expert, Wonderful Mkhutche, criticised government for allegedly withholding parts of the Malawi Defence Force report, arguing that “opacity only fuels conspiracy theories.”

Chimwemwe David Tsitsi, a lecturer at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), said the tragedy exposed institutional weaknesses in aviation oversight and emergency response.

“We need structural reforms not just inquiries. The Chilima tragedy should push Malawi to modernise its air transport systems and safety protocols,” Tsitsi advised.

Governance advocate Undule Mwakasungula called for patience and national unity, cautioning against politicising grief.

He said: “Let’s seek truth, but let’s not divide the country further in the process.”

The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), however, rejected the inquiry findings outright, describing them as a cover up that left key questions unanswered.

On June 10 2024, a Malawi Defence Force Dornier 228 aircraft carrying Dr. Saulos Chilima and eight others crashed into Chikangawa Forest in Mzimba District.

The group was travelling from Lilongwe to Mzuzu for the funeral of a former Attorney General when the aircraft disappeared from radar amid poor weather conditions.

A massive 24 hour search operation ended in tragedy when rescuers found the wreckage no one had survived.

An official inquiry, supported by experts from the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU), attributed the crash to bad weather and pilot disorientation, ruling out foul play.

Yet, opposition parties, civil society organisations and sections of the public continue to challenge that conclusion, demanding a new, transparent investigation to uncover the full truth and ensure accountability.