Malawi Freedom Network 
By Suleman Chitera, MFN Reporter
Date: November 15, 2026 | Time: 10:13 AM CAT
Political commentator Imran Jumbe has challenged Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating the Chikangawa plane crash to summon former president Lazarus Chakwera and several senior Malawi Congress Party (MCP) figures, warning that the inquiry risks losing public confidence if it concludes without questioning people he believes may hold relevant information.
Jumbe says Chakwera, former presidential chief of staff Colleen Zamba’s former administration officials, including Chimwendo Banda, Moses Kunkuyu, Eisenhower Mkaka, Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and former Speaker of Parliament Gotani Hara, should be given an opportunity to explain any information they may possess concerning the circumstances surrounding the death of former vice-president Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others.
His demand comes as the parliamentary investigation moves towards analysing evidence gathered from witnesses, with committee chairperson Walter Nyamilandu indicating on November 6 that the committee had gathered sufficient evidence to begin compiling its report, although further forensic examinations and verification work remained pending.
The June 10, 2024 tragedy claimed nine lives when a Malawi Defence Force aircraft crashed in Chikangawa Forest while travelling from Lilongwe to Mzuzu.
For Jumbe, the investigation must go beyond establishing what happened to the aircraft and examine every credible lead that could help establish the full circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Questions over political statements before Chilima’s death
Jumbe argues that Malawians have not forgotten controversial political statements reportedly made before Chilima’s death, including remarks that allegedly suggested his political ambitions should be stopped and references to blood sacrifices for the MCP’s political survival.
He particularly wants former Speaker of Parliament Gotani Hara to be questioned over remarks attributed to her concerning blood sacrifices and the political survival of the MCP.
Jumbe believes such statements should not simply be dismissed as ordinary political rhetoric without establishing their actual meaning and context.
He also wants former president Chakwera to explain whether he had any knowledge of relevant statements, discussions or information that could assist investigators.
Chimwendo Banda is another figure Jumbe believes should appear before the committee.
He has questioned the meaning of the reported statement, “Asowe asasowe,” arguing that the words deserve clarification in light of Chilima’s subsequent disappearance and death.
Jumbe further points to another reported political remark suggesting that Chilima could not take over leadership because politics in Malawi was conducted at night.
He believes the committee should establish the context of such statements, who made them, what they meant and whether they have any relevance to the investigation.
Importantly, the statements and questions raised by Jumbe are not proof that the individuals mentioned had any involvement in the plane crash. Their relevance, if any, must be established through evidence and fair questioning.
‘We want answers from the top’
Jumbe insists that the investigation should not concentrate on lower-level witnesses while potentially relevant information held by senior political figures remains unexplored.
He argues that Malawians deserve explanations directly from the individuals concerned rather than relying solely on accounts from other witnesses.
He maintains that Chakwera and Chimwendo Banda, in particular, should be given an opportunity to address the questions surrounding statements attributed to them or their political circles.
His position is that no individual should be considered above scrutiny simply because of their political position or influence.
He also stresses that summoning someone before an inquiry does not amount to declaring that person guilty.
Instead, it provides an opportunity for investigators to obtain explanations, test information and establish whether a witness has anything relevant to contribute.
Inquiry must not become an expensive formality
Jumbe has warned against allowing the investigation to become an expensive exercise that produces a report without addressing important questions raised by the public.
He argues that the credibility of the inquiry will depend not only on the number of witnesses interviewed but also on whether investigators have followed credible leads, examined relevant evidence and questioned individuals who may possess important information.
The committee has already heard extensive testimony from aviation officials, police officers, military personnel, medical experts and other witnesses.
Its latest phase has also involved examining the search-and-rescue operation, recovery of the wreckage, identification of victims and post-mortem examinations.
However, Jumbe believes the committee should also consider whether there are relevant political or administrative witnesses who have not yet been questioned.
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He wants the investigation to establish whether any information held by senior political figures could help clarify events surrounding the tragedy.
Justice for nine victims must come first
The deaths of Chilima and eight other people remain one of Malawi’s most painful national tragedies.
The other victims included former First Lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri, Abdul Lapukeni, Dan Kanyemba, Lukas Kapheni, Chisomo Chimaneni, Colonel Owen Sambolala, Major Flora Selemani-Ngwinjili and Major Wallace Aidini.
Their families deserve a credible investigation that leaves no legitimate question unanswered.
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Jumbe’s central demand is that the parliamentary committee should not close its evidence-gathering process without first considering whether Chakwera, Chimwendo Banda, Kunkuyu, Mkaka, Zikhale Ng’oma, Hara and other potentially relevant senior MCP figures have information that needs to be examined.
Where evidence points to possible criminal conduct, the appropriate investigative authorities must pursue the matter and ensure that the law takes its course.
Ultimately, the objective should not be to implicate a particular political party or individual. It should be to establish the truth, identify any failures or wrongdoing supported by evidence and deliver accountability without fear or favour.
Malawians do not simply need another report. They need answers, evidence and accountability.
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The nine lives lost in Chikangawa deserve nothing less.
My pen is mightier than a sword.
Source: Imran Jumbe’s public call for wider accountability in the Chilima plane crash inquiry.
