CDEDI Calls on President Mutharika to Launch New Probe into Plane Crash That Killed Vice President Saulos Chilima & Others

The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has called on President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika to launch a new investigation into the plane crash that killed former Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima and eight others on June 10, 2024, in the Nthungwa forest in Nkhatabay district.

Speaking at a press conference in Lilongwe today, CDEDI’s Director General, Sylvester Namiwa, said the initial government-led investigation did not adequately address the cause of the crash, leaving many questions unanswered.

He added that the public still wants to know the truth about what happened and urged the government to take the initiative to launch a thorough inquiry.

Namiwa said the investigation should start from the moment the people on board the plane, including the pilots, contacted a military commander in Zomba, as well as the arrest of the person who authorized the plane to take off despite knowing it was in trouble.

He further alleged that former President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and other officials, including former Army commander Paul Valentino Phiri, prematurely called off the search for the plane before it and its passengers were found.

Noting that President Mutharika is a law-abiding leader, Namiwa said CDEDI has formally written to him to ensure the concerns of Malawians are addressed.

5The government has not yet commented on the petition.