Tag Archives: Chikangawa forest

Malawi, Obituaries

Chikangawa plane crash report: Kabambe advices Chakwera to address “grave safety concerns”

MaraviPost

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Former Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) Governor Dr. Dalitso Kabambe has advised President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration to prioritize a thorough investigation into grave safety concerns and address the shortcomings highlighted in the interim report regarding the tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of the late former Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others.

Dr Kabambe observes that the report’s findings raise serious questions about the safety protocols and quality controls implemented by public servants.

“This is not merely an isolated incident and it is a stark reminder of the systemic issues that plague our civil service,” Kabambe said.

He indicated that there is need to confront these challenges head-on, for the safety of citizens and the integrity of our Institutions depend on it.

“It is time to shine a spotlight on the processes that govern our civil service and demand accountability from those in positions of power,” he added.

According to Kabambe, reform and public inquiry is necessary, and it is essential that we create a culture of transparency, responsibility, and excellence within our public service.

“The lives lost in this tragedy must not be in vain, they must serve as a catalyst for meaningful change,” Kabambe explained.

He further indicated that there is need to unite in our commitment to ensuring that our civil service operates with the utmost dedication to public safety and welfare.

“Together, we can forge a future where such preventable tragedies are behind us, where every citizen can trust that their government prioritizes their safety above all else,” he indicated.

The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation on August 30, 2024 released a report on the aircraft accident at Chikangawa Forest that killed former vice president, late Chilima and eight others.

The report, published by Germany Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation, vividly shows that the plane crash, which killed former Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others, was “not survivable.”

The 19-page report, which is now viral on social media,shows that the aircraft was manufactured in 1987 and had many of its key equipment and machines archaic and not maintained to the expected standards for it to be airborne.

The interim report mentions poor weather, including low visibility, clouds, and fog near the destination airport in Mzuzu,adding that the flight crew had difficulty navigating through these conditions, which could have led to spatial disorientation or an inability to maintain a safe flight path.

It also says there was a delay in locating Veep’s plane due to Faulty Equipment used for searching.

Details provided in the interim report show that the aircraft had been flying without Cockpick Voice Recorder or Flight Data Recorder, which it says were not required by relevant regulatory regulations.

The battery of its Emergency Transmission Locator is also said to have long expired in 2004 and according Malawi Defence Force, there were no spare parts or budget for replacement.

The report clearly shows that the plane did not reach Mzuzu Airport.

Briefly, the interim report does not explicitly state a definitive cause for the crash of the Dornier 228-202(K) aircraft. However, several factors likely contributed to the accident:

  1. Marginal Weather Conditions: The report mentions poor weather, including low visibility, clouds, and fog near the destination airport in Mzuzu. The flight crew had difficulty navigating through these conditions, which could have led to spatial disorientation or an inability to maintain a safe flight path.
  2. Lack of Functional Emergency Equipment: The aircraft’s Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) was non-functional because its battery had expired in 2004, hindering the ability to locate the crash site quickly. The lack of a Cockpit Voice Recorder or Flight Data Recorder also made it difficult to understand the crew’s actions and decisions leading up to the crash.
  3. Navigation Issues: The aircraft made several unexplained turns and altitude changes before the crash, suggesting possible confusion or difficulty in navigation. The report also notes outdated information on radio navigation aids, which could have affected the crew’s ability to navigate safely.
  4. Inadequate Radar Coverage: There was no radar contact with the aircraft at low altitudes, which may have prevented air traffic controllers from providing timely assistance or warnings.

The investigation is ongoing, and the final report would likely provide a more detailed analysis of the contributing factors.

Environment, Malawi

Ownership wrangle ensues over Malawi’s Chikangawa Forest

Richard Kayenda

MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-In what can be described as ownership wrangle, concessionaires of Viphya Plantation; popularly known as Chikangawa Forest, on Monday asked Minister of Forestry and Natural Resources, Nancy Tembo, to enlighten them on the recently reviewed agreement between the government and Reiply Malawi Limited.

According to the President of the Reformed Timber Millers Union (RTM) Paul Nthambazale, there is need for the government to review the decision it made as members of the union and communities around the forest are not happy with the situation.

Nthambazale appealed to the minister to understand the concerns of the RTM members and urgently do something as the situation is dire.

“It’s not us only RTM new members complaining, but everybody is complaining about the decision. What we want the government to do is to reverse the decision it made in signing the new agreement with the Reiply. In that agreement, as I already indicated, what the government has done is that they have given all the trees to Reiply,” Nthambazale said.

Concurring with Nthambale, Maxwell Banda, a forest ranger, said Reiply Malawi asked them to stop manning the forest, saying their services were no longer needed as they were seen as trespassers.

However, in her response, Tembo said government has not sold the entire forest to the said company and that her ministry will make public the new arrangements made between government and Reiply Malawi.

Tembo said: “A new agreement has been signed but members of staff are not aware of the change of relationship with Reiply and so, it’s something that we need to address and communicate with them. They must understand what the new arrangement is. So, it’s something that will be addressed.

Speaking on behalf of Reiply Malawi, Spokesperson, Dalitso Chimwala, assured all concerned parties of the company’s commitment to addressing all grey issues.

Business

Chased Vipya Plantation workers jeopardize security in Mzuzu

Maravi Post correspondent

MZUZU (MaraviPost)–Workers who are running away from the security personnel under the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) in the Vipya Plantation popularly known as Chikangawa forest are flocking to Mzuzu where they are causing havoc, Maravi Post can reveal.

Chikangawa workers: said to be causing havoc in Mzuzu

Since the Malawi government deployed soldiers to protect the forest, criminal cases have risen in Mzuzu. Continue reading Chased Vipya Plantation workers jeopardize security in Mzuzu →

Malawi

Malawi Govt cheated by Chikangawa plantation’s debtors: Mulli Brothers refuses to pay

Maravi Post correspondent

Chikangawa forest unsustainably harvested

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Ministry of Natural Resources through the Department of Forestry is reportedly having troubles taking legal action against individuals and companies owing government MK640 million for harvesting trees in Viphya Plantations popularly known as Chikangawa Forest since 2012, Maravi Post has learnt.

This comes barely two months after the department issued a 30-day deadline in October this year that all debtors settle their debts or face legal action.

Amongst the debtors is Mulli Brothers Limited who owes the department MK53 million in unpaid bills for harvesting the trees in the plantation but has been refusing to settle the Chikangawa bills.

Mulli is also linked to the infamous tractorgate and now-sold Malawi Savings Bank (MSB)’s bad debts where his company owned the bank over MK3 billion.

But two month after issuing the warning statement, the department has not taken any legal action on debt defaulters. This is so despite Parliamentary Committee for Natural Resource pressing government hard to recover the money from companies and individuals. The committee has since slated January 24, 2017 to meet the department to get feedback on the matter and all issues surrounding the plantation deals with the aim of appraising the public.

Sangwani Phiri, Environmental and Climate Change Management Spokesperson told the Maravi Post that his office was consolidating reports for easy follow up of all defaulters.

Phiri disclosed that the debt files are in the hands of Attorney General Chambers who will track down all those dogging to pay the bills.

“The department cannot give you a concise figure, the accounts section has been asked to come up with a list of those who finished paying their debts, those who are still paying and another list of those who are up to now refusing to have incurred any debt with us”, said Phiri.

The department has as of late deployed the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) soldiers to bring order to the closed Viphya Plantation for off-season till April 2017.

The Viphya Plantation is currently managed by three groups including Companies through concessions; Raiply which has 25,000 hectors, Total Land Care (TLC) of about 12,000 ha. And the Government through the Department of Forestry with less than 1000 ha of standing harvestable trees around their offices at Chikangawa, Lusangazi. Maravi Post has noted that Timber Millers Cooperative Limited which was given 10,000 ha has no standing trees which can be harvested.

There are also pockets of the plantation which are jointly managed by forestry department, FRIM, Raiply and TL Timbers. It is also worth mentioning that Total Land Care (TLC), Limbe Leaf and two other tobacco buying companies have for the past four years been engaged in replanting exercise to compensate for wood used for tobacco curing elsewhere.

Soldiers in the Viphya are paid by Raiply Malawi Limited because, as a private company, they made a huge investment (MK10 billion) of fiberboard processing factory which solely relies on sustainable management of the Viphya.

Members of Timber Millers Union and some politicians are on a campaign to frustrate Raiply so that they take over operations (i.e. to nationalize the Julius Malema style).

In Tanzania a similar plantation is harvested for three months only and the rest of the year is dedicated towards silviculture.