By Chisomo Phiri
President Dr.Lazarus Chakwera has been cleared of any involvement in the June 10 plane crash that killed his former Vice President Dr.Saulos Chilima and eight others.
Presenting its investigation findings on Saturday,the 18-member Commission of Inquiry, established by Chakwera in late October, found that poor weather conditions, which affected navigation by the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) pilots, were the primary cause of the accident.
The report reads in part:”The Commission’s main findings are that the probable cause of the accident was a combination of human and environmental factors.
“The weather on June 10, 2024, at Nthungwa, where the accident occurred, was extremely bad, leading to pilot disorientation.
“Key evidence from Chilima’s officials in Lilongwe corroborates the weather narrative.Secretary to the Vice President, Dr. Sikwese, testified that he exchanged WhatsApp messages with the late Vice President during the flight. His last message, sent at 11:10 am, was not delivered and advised the Vice President to consider returning to Lilongwe due to severe weather in Mzuzu.
“Additional evidence came from Chilima’s Special Assistant on Media, Winnie Nyondo, who received a text message from the late Aide-de-Camp, Chisomo Chimaneni, reading, “Too much turbulence.”Nyondo posted this message on her Facebook account, noting that in-flight communication was not unusual for the Vice President’s team.”
