Law expert faults 6 July Stadium stampede task force appointment
Law professor at the University of Malawi Edge Kanyongolo has said Malawians might not have faith and trust in the newly appointed task force which is to probe the Bingu National Stadium disaster.
Kanyongolo, who is based at Chancellor College in the Eastern Cirty of Zomba, said people will now be questioning the independence of the officials who are all civil servants.
The task force is headed by Zangazanga Chikhosi, principal secretary in the Office of the Presiodent Cabinet and secretary is Steve Kayuni, chief state advocate and members include Sam Madula, principal secretary for Home Affairs and other officials from ministries of Sports and Health as well as Football Association of Malawi.
“These are capable people but people will be questioning their independence since they work in government,” said Kanyongolo.
He said it would have been better if the task force was headed by an independent person so too the composition of its members.
The formation of the task force follows a stampede on Thursday, July 6 at stadium in Lilongwe which left eight people dead, all but one children and over 60 people injured.
A preliminary police report shows the stampede was cause by the organising committee failure to open stadium gates at 6am and opted to open the gates at 10am.
The Daily Times reported on Tuesday that the politically charged organised committee feared if the gates were opened earlier, ruling Democratic Progressive Party women and cadets would not get seats in the 41000 capacity stadium.
Chairman of the organising committee Joseph Mwanamvekha rejected the allegations.
