By Roy Howa and Patience Longwe:
Former Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba has told the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee investigating the June 10, 2024 Chikangawa plane crash that she was alerted at about 1:00 p.m. that the Malawi Defence Force aircraft carrying former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima could not be accounted for, prompting an immediate government emergency response.
Appearing virtually before the committee on Tuesday, Zamba said the Airport Commandant informed her that the aircraft was missing.
She said she instructed him to verify its whereabouts with Karonga and neighbouring countries before activating established emergency search procedures.
Zamba said she also contacted the Malawi Defence Force Commander and the Inspector General of Police to coordinate the search.
She told the committee that she directed her office to obtain the flight manifest and mobile phone numbers of those on board to support search efforts.
She said she later contacted then Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) Director General Daudi Suleman, who linked her with Airtel Malawi and TNM to assist in tracing the passengers’ mobile phone signals.
According to Zamba, information from the telecommunications operators showed that one of the mobile phones was last detected at about 12:30 p.m. by a mobile tower at Raiply, narrowing the search area to an estimated 10-kilometre radius and helping redirect search teams.
She said she later briefed President Lazarus Chakwera on the developments together with the Malawi Defence Force Commander and the Inspector General of Police.
She said the President subsequently cancelled his planned foreign trip, directed that the nation be informed about the missing aircraft and convened an emergency Cabinet meeting.
The Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee continues to hear testimony from witnesses as part of its inquiry into the Chikangawa plane crash that claimed the lives of former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others.
