By LordDenning QB
PART OF THE CONSPIRACY THEORY SUGGESTED THAT There was an orchestrated plan to down the plane that the then Vice President, the late, was going to use, and that initially, the MCP’s Chimwendo Banda was scheduled to be part of those boarding the plane but changed his mind at an eleventh hour. To this conspiracy, they peddlers were asking: Who told Chimwendo that the plane was full, yet the plane only carried 9 people.
The aircraft in question was Donier 228. According to information on SUMMIT AIR, a Dornier 228 has a passenger capacity of 29 people. The total number of passengers and crew in the ill-fated flight was 9, entailing that the plane was, in fact not full. Who, then told Chimwendo that the plane was full. That has been the question.
According to the findings of the Commission of Inquiry:
When Dr. Sikwese (PS in the office of Vice President) informed the SPC that the Vice President had formed the mind to attend the funeral and that he would travel by the military plane, he asked him if there was space that could accommodate the said Richard Chimwendo who had been designated to form part of the Government delegation. The SPC testified that Dr. Sikwese answered that there was no space. The Commission interviewed the said Dr. Sikwese on the same. According to the Commission, Dr. Sikwese testified that he answered that there was no space because he was not aware that Mrs. Chilima and her close protection officer were no longer going. Thus Dr. Sikwese admitted to the fact that he told the SPC that there was no space in the plane to accommodate the said Richard Chimwendo.
But when you think of it, I have highlighted above that the total passenger sitting capacity of the plane in question is 29. A total of only 9 people (passengers and crew) were on board. This means even if Mrs. Chilima and other person were to be on board, it would only escalate the capacity to 11 people on board (thus 9 passengers and 2 pilots) against the capacity of 29 passengers and 2 pilots. Clearly, the response that the plane was full was insincere and false.
The question of why lying that the plane was full can be addressed through reasonable speculation. Accompanying the Vice President were officials in the Vice President office and members of UTM. Mr. Chimwendo does not belong to UTM. There is no evidence on record that Mr. Chimwendo and the late Dr. Chilima were good friends at any point. It can only be speculated therefore that the reason of lying that there was no space was political.
