The United Transformation Movement (UTM) says it is prepared to accept any findings from the ongoing parliamentary inquiry into the plane crash that killed former Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others.
UTM National Publicity Secretary Felix Njawala, who is also Mwanza Central MP, said on Saturday that the party would welcome the outcome even if the inquiry concludes that the June 10, 2024 crash was an accident.
Njawala told a local media outlet that the party wants the inquiry to establish the truth, despite suspicions among some of its supporters that the crash was deliberately orchestrated.
“That’s why it was meant to be a public inquiry; therefore, any results will be welcomed,” Njawala said.
His remarks come amid criticism over his appointment to the parliamentary committee investigating the crash.
Some critics have questioned whether Njawala can participate impartially, considering his previous allegations surrounding the crash and UTM’s continued concerns about the circumstances of Chilima’s death.
However, UTM defended his appointment, saying the party has consistently raised questions about the crash that remain unanswered and selected him to represent its interests during the inquiry.
The Ad-Hoc Committee on the Chikangawa Plane Crash is entering its final phase, with witness hearings scheduled to resume in Mzuzu from October 26 to 30, 2026.
The committee will then move to Lilongwe, where further hearings are scheduled for November 2 to 6, 2026.