On 29th September, through a Facebook post on her page, Chilima’s widow, Mary, made a public call to well-wishers to help her advocate for a special commission of inquiry into the plane crash. Proceeding that, there had been similar calls by different stakeholders for Government to institute a commission of inquiry into the tragic incident.
“29th September was our wedding anniversary. Ndikupempha nonse okhudzidwa kuti mundithandize kumema kafukufuku wapadera, kuti timve tsatanetsatane wa zomwe zinachitika pa 10 mpakana pa 11 June” (I’m urging all concerned people to help me in advocating for a special commission of inquiry on what happened between June 10 to 11), Chilima’s widow wrote.
Civil Society Organizations, including the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) led by Gift Trapence endorsed her call for the inquiry commission stating that Malawians have had countless questions on issues pertaining to the plane crash: “These calls have been made before by many stakeholders. Berieved families and Malawians have the right to know full details and accounts of what happened in this tragedy. HRDC is, therefore, calling upon the President to institute the commission of inquiry to make sure there is accountability”, said Trapence.
The President eventually instituted a wide-encompassing commission of inquiry on 25th October 2024. Nation Publications Limited featured a story indicating a telephone interview with a representative of Chilima’s family in Ntcheu, Dr. Ben Chilima, who reportedly welcomed the commission. Reportedly, he said that “we are very happy that at last it has been appointed. We hope the commission will do the best job that is satisfactory to the family and the other families. We don’t want compromises.”.
Surprisingly, Mary Chilima, who took to Facebook to appeal for public support in calling for the commission went dead silent instead of communicating to the public about the development. Indications of political influence started to emerge when opposition politicians started to force an association with Mary Chilima, to push narratives styled to accuse the Government of “negligence in search and rescue response” among others. The preliminary report on the expert investigations into the plane crash was conveniently ignored or tossed aside by the opposition elements as revelations of such reports failed to suit or support their concocted narrative.
Nearly two months after its establishment, the Commission has presented its findings, revealing the naked truth. These findings do not only answer the “many questions” that, according to HRDC, many people had, but have also shocked some of them in learning that the office of Chilima himself procured the plane, contrary to prior rumors that he was forced to use the plane whilst he had planned to go to Nkhata-Bay from Lilongwe by road.
According to the findings of the Commission, protocol for procuring the military aircraft for non-military missions has evolved. Previously, the protocol was to request from the Commander-In-Chief of the of the MDF – who is the State President, who then consulted with the MDF Commander. The change introduced a hybrid approach, in which sometimes the request is made to the President and sometimes directly to the MDF, and the President gets informed by the MDF as a matter of administrative protocol.
In respect of the Vice President’s decision to use the aircraft, the Commission revealed that the request was made to the MDF directly and not to the President. The request was, according to the hybrid approach, therefore in order. The importance of this revelation is that it dismisses the conspiracy theory that the late Chilima was simply informed to use the military aircraft whilst he had wanted to use the road. This conspiracy theory was tailored to support another conspiracy theory that the Vice President’s death was orchestrated.
The report has further narrated negligence from the members of the Vice President Office, particularly the Principal Secretary, Dr. Lucky Sikwese as well as members of the crew who failed to obtain weather report from the Mzuzu airport authorities. Now that it has been revealed as to who shares the blame and to what extent, this blameworthiness certainly comes with its corresponding duty to shoulder the consequences which may be of both administrative, civil and criminal variations. Some people will have to face disciplinary actions which may result into their being removed or shifted from their offices.
The underlying call is upon the President to ensure that apart from implementing the categories of recommendations suggested by the report, he should also ensure that appropriate administrative actions are undertaken against those implicated for negligence and/or any other sort of laxity.
