President Lazarus Chakwera has called for an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the plane crash that tragically claimed the lives of Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others.
The President made this announcement on Sunday afternoon during the funeral ceremony for the Vice President at the Bingu National stadium in Lilongwe.
In his speech, Chakwera expressed that, like many Malawians, he has pressing questions that demand answers—answers that cannot be fully provided by the investigation conducted by the Malawi Defense Force alone.
“In the flowing tears, there is a prayer requesting for answers. We would like to know how the plane carrying the Vice President and nine others went missing and crashed,” he stated.
The plane crashed in the Chikangawa Highlands on Monday, June 10th.
Chakwera voiced his frustration over the delay in commencing the search and rescue mission, saying, “I do not understand why it took so long to commence the search and rescue mission.”
The President assured the public that the plane crash will be independently and transparently investigated, emphasizing that he has already sought assistance from other countries.
“I have already asked for help from other countries,” he said, underscoring the need for a credible and thorough investigation that would be accepted by all Malawians.
Acknowledging the ongoing investigation by the Malawi Defense Force, President Chakwera stressed the importance of an independent inquiry to provide credible answers.
“I know that the Malawi Defense Force has its own investigation to determine what caused the plane crash, but the most important investigation will be an independent one so that all Malawians will have credible answers as the Malawi Defense investigation will not suffice,” he affirmed.
Chakwera called upon the people to allow the investigation to take place without hindrance. Despite being booed by the crowd at Bingu National Stadium as he delivered his eulogy, the President remained composed and empathetic.
“I understand the pain Malawians are enduring over the loss,” he said, even as the booing intensified.
Chakwera reiterated his alignment with the public’s demand for answers, stating that he shares the same questions as all Malawians regarding the crash and the delayed response to the missing aircraft.
He emphasized that while the Malawi Defense Force has its own protocols, their investigation alone cannot be thorough enough, hence the necessity for foreign expertise.
