By Jonah Pankuku:
Plane crash investigators from Germany have started work in the country, after arriving from the European country on Saturday, The Daily Times has learned.
However, the Malawi Government says it had no hand in the identification of the three experts from Germany, indicating that this is so because it wants them to do their job professionally.
The plane crash culminated in the death of Vice President Saulos Chilima and former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri.
Others that died in the accident are Lucas Kapheni, Chisomo Chimaneni, Dan Kanyemba and Abdul Lapukeni.
Also on board were Colonel Owen Sambalopa, Major Flora Selemani and Major Aidin, who are Malawi Defence Force (MDF) personnel who were operating the ill-fated plane.
Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu said experts have, so far, held an inception meeting with government representatives from the Office of the President and Cabinet, MDF, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and ministries of Foreign Affairs and Transport and Public Works.
“Let me say, from the beginning, that we [as government] had no role in identifying the experts,” he said.
“The team comprises three experts; one is from General Atomics, a company that has taken over the manufacturing of Dornier 228s. The two are from the German Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigations,” Kunkuyu added.
Kunkuyu further said the experts have commenced the collection of available data from the MDF and CAA.
“They will analyse this data until they are ready to visit the site. The details of this plan are contingent upon completion of data collection,” he added.
Kunkuyu indicated that the experts would, among other things, determine the facts, conditions and circumstances relating to the plane crash, determine the probable cause of the accident and any relevant matter to that aircraft accident.
Meanwhile, Public Affairs Committee (Pac) spokesperson Bishop Gilford Matonga has said they want the experts to work independently without government interference and undue pressure from the public.
“This is a very serious and sensitive matter. We hope these experts know the seriousness of the matter at hand.
“We, as Pac, hope that they will conduct themselves independently because Malawians have more questions than answers on the circumstances leading to the plane crash. We lost nine lives and their families are even waiting for the probe results,” Bishop Matonga said.
Meanwhile, Alliance for Democracy president Enoch Chihana has said the probe should be treated as a serious matter of national interest requiring utmost transparency and fairness.
“We would also like the Malawi nation to be informed on how the process is being managed, from the coordination of information gathering to the final report submission; and whether there is a parliamentary committee involved in the matter,” Chihana says in a statement.
Chilima and the eight died in the plane crash on their way to attend the burial of renowned lawyer and former Justice minister and attorney general Ralph Kasambara in Nkhata Bay District.
MDF is also conducting its own investigations into the tragedy.
Recently, President Lazarus Chakwera admitted that there is a need for an independent inquiry into the matter as MDF cannot investigate itself.
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