Mzimba MP Says Ready to Testify in Chilima Plane Crash Probe as Pressure Mounts on Mutharika Govt
Mzimba legislator Catherine Mzumara has declared that she is ready to testify in the ongoing calls for a new investigation into the plane crash that killed former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others, saying Malawians deserve to know the truth once and for all.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, Mzumara said she will personally present her evidence when the matter is reopened, adding that transparency is the only way to restore public confidence in the system.
“I am ready to testify,” Mzumara said firmly. “This is about truth, justice, and accountability for the lives we lost. The families and the nation deserve closure.”
Her remarks come a week after President Arthur Peter Mutharika spoke about his government’s long-term agenda but remained silent on the unresolved Chilima tragedy, which continues to stir emotions across the country.
The plane crash, which claimed the lives of Chilima and eight others in June 2024, occurred in Chikangawa Forest under circumstances that remain unclear. Despite a Commission of Inquiry being instituted by the previous administration, the findings were never made public, fueling speculation of a cover-up.
Sources within the Ministry of Justice have confirmed that the Mutharika administration is currently studying the Commission of Inquiry’s report, but there has been no official word on whether it will be made public or if a new probe will be constituted.
In Parliament, several Malawi Congress Party (MCP) MPs supported Mzumara’s call, saying that reopening the inquiry is not only necessary but essential for national healing.
“Malawians want answers, not silence,” said one MCP legislator. “If this government truly believes in justice, it should release the report and allow a transparent process to take place.”
Deputy Speaker of Parliament backed the debate, saying every MP has the right to raise and discuss the matter until government provides clarity.
“Everyone has the right to speak on this issue,” the Deputy Speaker said. “Government itself has expressed interest in revisiting the inquiry, so Parliament will continue to discuss it.”
The mounting pressure places Mutharika’s government in a tight corner, as families of the crash victims, civil society, and the general public continue to demand full disclosure of what led to the tragedy.
Many view the government’s hesitation to publish the report as a dangerous attempt to bury accountability. Analysts warn that unless the report is released and the investigation reopened, the Chilima crash risks becoming one of Malawi’s darkest unsolved political mysteries.
As Mzumara and others prepare to testify, one thing is clear — the ghosts of Chikangawa will not rest until the full truth comes to light.
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