By Wendy Mkandawire
The Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Committee on the Chikangawa Plane Crash Inquiry will on Friday resume its proceedings into the plane crash that killed former Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima and 8 others on 10 June 2024.
According to a statement signed by Committee Chairperson Nyamilandu Manda, the committee will conclude outstanding business from Phase 1 of the witness hearings.
He said the session will hear testimony from Dokani Ngwira, former Director General of the National Intelligence Service, to gather evidence relating to national intelligence gathering, threat assessment and preparatory activities.
Manda added that in preparation for Phase 2, the Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Committee will meet again on 10th and 11th August 2026 to review work done in Phase 1 and plan for Phase 2 witness hearings.
Phase 2 witness hearings are scheduled from 17th to 26th August 2026, and will focus on events that occurred on the actual day of the flight that resulted in the plane crash.
The committee has also indicated that its proceedings will continue to be open to the public, unless resolved otherwise by the committee to be conducted in camera in accordance with Standing Orders.
According to the committee other people expected to give testimony include Lieutenant General John Msonthi Jnr (Rtd), former Deputy Army Commander (Operations) for the Malawi Defence Force. The committee will gather evidence from him relating to information management, operational communications and command awareness.
The Ad-Hoc Committee on the Chikangawa Plane Crash Inquiry has already heard testimonies from family members of the victims, including Mary Chilima, wife of the late Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima.
