Mutharika Orders Fresh Inquiry into Chilima Plane Crash
Published on February 24, 2026 at 3:05 PM by Edgar Naitha
President Peter Mutharika has directed that a fresh inquiry be conducted into the plane crash that claimed the life of former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others.
Minister of Justice Charles Mhango, who was tasked by Mutharika to review reports produced during the previous administration, told Parliament that he identified significant gaps in the investigations and recommended a new inquiry. Mhango said the initial report by German experts was not conclusive on the cause of the accident.
He also criticised the Commission of Inquiry instituted by former President Lazarus Chakwera, arguing that the resignation of two commissioners raised concerns about the integrity of the process. Mhango further noted that some witnesses who were summoned declined to testify and that the commission operated in what he described as an unfavourable environment.
According to the minister, the final report by the German experts relied heavily on findings from the earlier commission regarding the cause of the crash. In light of these gaps, Mhango recommended a fresh investigation, and Mutharika has since ordered that the matter be reopened, with a parliamentary committee set to conduct the inquiry.
The development has drawn mixed reactions from lawmakers. Mwanza Central MP Felix Njawala, who is also spokesperson for the United Transformation Movement (UTM), said the decision vindicates the party’s longstanding position on the matter.
Meanwhile, Lilongwe Mpenu MP Eisenhower Mkaka described the issue as serious and argued that independent experts, rather than a parliamentary committee, should handle the investigation.
