LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the Chikangawa plane crash is expected to conclude its investigation on October 30 after completing its third phase of witness hearings and a six-week programme involving key witnesses connected to the search and rescue operation.
The committee has drawn up a six-week programme focusing largely on people who were involved in, or had knowledge of, the search and rescue operation following the plane crash.
Committee members have held lengthy discussions on the programme before revising the initial witness list to include additional individuals considered relevant to the inquiry.
In an interview with local media on Monday, committee chairperson Walter Nyamilandu said he is confident that the third phase of the inquiry will be completed by the end of October, although he stopped short of giving a specific date for the release of the final report.
“Once we complete the third phase, then we will wait on the analysis with the pathologists and digital forensic experts.The report will be released once all those processes are complete,” said Nyamilandu.
He said today,the committee is expected to hear testimony from four witnesses as it continues with the third phase of its investigation.
These are former Acting Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority Samuel Kalua, Director of Aerodromes and Air Navigation Standards at the Civil Aviation Authority Fredrick Chisepeya, former Malawi Police Service Deputy Inspector General of Operations Akis Muwanga,and former Malawi Defence Force(MDF) Commander General Paul Valentino Phiri.
The latest phase follows earlier hearings involving a range of witnesses, including military personnel, aviation officials, meteorological experts, ICT specialists and community members connected to the crash site.
Parliament’s programme has also included witnesses from Nthungwa and other people with knowledge of the events surrounding the crash.
The Chikangawa plane crash occurred on June 10, 2024, when the MDF Dornier 228 aircraft carrying former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight other people crashed in Chikangawa Forest in Nkhata Bay District.
All nine people on board died in the accident.
The passengers and crew included former First Lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri, former presidential adviser Lucas Kapheni, businessman Dan Kanyemba, Abdul Lapukeni, Chisomo Chimaneni, and MDF personnel Colonel Owen Sambalopa, Major Flora Selemani and Major Aidin, alongside Chilima.
Following the tragedy, the government appointed a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Germany’s Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) also conducted an aviation investigation after the Malawian government requested international assistance.
The Commission of Inquiry later reported that poor weather conditions were a major factor in the accident, noting that visibility around Mzuzu was poor because of fog.
The German investigation also identified aviation safety concerns, including problems involving the aircraft’s Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), a device designed to assist search and rescue efforts.
The BFU’s findings included recommendations relating to emergency locator equipment, navigation aids, recording of radar and radio communications, and aviation safety procedures.
Despite the previous investigations, Parliament established a fresh Ad-Hoc Committee in March 2026 after concerns were raised in the National Assembly about gaps and inconsistencies in earlier inquiries.
Parliament said the new committee would review previous findings and investigate outstanding issues as part of efforts to provide a process that commands public trust.
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