Malawi opposition party asks UN, African bodies to help probe vice president's plane crash

By Jamal Jamal

LILONGWE, Malawi (AA) – Malawi's opposition Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) party has asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and major African organizations to form a commission to thoroughly investigate the plane crash that killed Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others in the country's northern region on Monday.

AFORD President Enoch Chihana, in a letter sent to the UN chief two days ago and shared with the media on Friday, also copied to the African Union (AU), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and heads of missions represented in Malawi, expressed "shock, disbelief, and great sadness" over the death of the vice president and others.

Chihana urged the UN to designate the site of the plane crash as a "crime scene" and protect it through international military personnel.

He also appealed to SADC and AU to conduct a “thorough forensic investigation” into the plane crash.

"We feel obliged to call for urgent actions for Malawi is under a period of speculation on the events surrounding the death of the Vice President and other distinguished eight passengers," said the party president.

Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera also requested assistance from foreign government leaders and international agencies during his meetings in Lilongwe on Thursday in investigating the circumstances surrounding the military plane crash.

“As the Malawi Defense Force begins its investigations into the crash today, I’m aware that some of your governments have expertise in this area and so I ask you to render your support,” he said.

Chilima's Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Publicity Secretary Felix Njawala told Anadolu on Thursday that his party is "yearning for the truth" about the plane crash that killed the vice president.

"As a party, we are not convinced by what we have heard about the plane crash so far.

“That is why we have been pressing for independent investigations whose findings will reveal the truth and satisfy our curiosity. We therefore welcome the president's and other organizations' appeals for international support from foreign governments," said Njawala.

Chilima, 51, rose to prominence in 2014 after partnering with former President Arthur Peter Mutharika in the 2014 elections, which lasted until 2018. Following the annulment of the 2019 elections by the country's constitutional court, he formed an electoral alliance with President Chakwera in 2020.