Nearly three months after the tragic military plane crash in Mzimba that claimed the lives of Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others, Malawians still await clarity on the events of June 10, 2024.
Following the discovery of the wreckage of Malawi Air Force flight MAF-T03 near Nthungwa Hill in Viphya Plantation, President Lazarus Chakwera announced that all individuals on board had “died instantly on impact” and promised that the investigation findings would be made public.
The Malawi Defence Force (MDF) was the first to investigate the crash site, followed by a German team who assured that their findings would be available by the end of August. The MDF has since completed its investigation and submitted its report to the relevant authorities, according to MDF Commander General Velentino Phiri. However, Phiri declined to confirm whether the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the MDF, has been briefed on the findings.
The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), which did not conduct a separate investigation but compiled an incident report, has been cooperating with the German investigators since the plane involved used civilian infrastructure. DCA Acting Director General Samuel Kalua stated that they continue to provide information as requested by the investigators.
Recent comments from President Chakwera have created confusion regarding the German experts’ report. In an interview with Deutsche Welle, the President suggested that the report had been submitted to the government, but also indicated that it was still forthcoming and would be made public once received. German investigators from the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) confirmed that they have not yet shared their report with the Malawian government, which had commissioned the investigation and is expected to receive the report first.
When questioned about the President’s assertion that the passengers were killed on impact, Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses Kunkuyu indicated that this view was based on information from others rather than an official investigation. Kunkuyu suggested waiting for the autopsy report to further scrutinize the President’s claim.
Presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda directed inquiries to Kunkuyu’s statement, leaving unanswered questions about whether the President has received any reports from the MDF, DCA, or other agencies involved in the investigation.
