…. MCP, Chakwera cheerleaders dominate Commission
….Namiwa revelations expose President’s motive
President Lazarus Chakwera has made it clear through his actions that he has something to hide over the death of Vice President Saulos Chilima. On Monday he called on his Commission of Inquiry, and he stuffed his loyalists to be impartial. He expects impartiality from people who have directly been rewarded and benefitted from his administration. The President’s sincerity is wanting.
The Commission of Inquiry he has appointed and given 30 days only to report after a delay of 125 days since nine prominent Malawians died is there to cover up in an election year where he is the least popular politician, according to several opinion polls.
The Investigator Magazine can reveal links to Chakwera and MCP, including active members of 13 of the 19 appointed Commissioners, meaning only six Commissioners are professionals or impartial who will be overruled by the majority.
The Commission has already failed the impartiality test as 12 out of the 19 members are directly linked to President Chakwera, First Lady Monica Chakwera, Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba and some are active members of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Nine of the 13 Commissioners have directly been appointed by President Lazarus Chakwera or SPC Zamba to different plum public positions including Reserve Bank of Malawi, National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) and Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) among others.
Others like Dr. Sunduzwayo Madise are blue-eyed Chakwera boys with now four public appointments which are all lucrative and have openly cheered the President and his failed regime at every opportunity raising serious doubts of impartiality.
A senior legal practitioner called the inquiry team a “failed cover-up” as everyone could anticipate its outcome and called on serious individuals to leave the “blood-stained group” to save their reputations and “if they have integrity.”
Commission first business- hide from the public
Director of the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) Sylvester Namiwa whose threat of demonstrations prompted President Chakwera to appoint the Commission of Inquiry made history by being the first Malawian to resign 48 hours after being appointed and sworn in.
“ For the avoidance of doubt Sir, this decision is in line with principles of transparency and accountability, stemming from the fact that given the magnitude and huge expectations of the much-awaited commission, it was my conviction that witnesses testimonies, as part of the inquest would be held publicly,” Namiwa wrote in his resignation letter to President Chakwera.
But on Monday, an hour after being sworn in, Judge Alide’s Commission met and agreed to hold the inquiry in “secret” for reasons they have yet to provide the public, raising questions of its impartiality and main purpose. All death’s inquiries in the past have been using open inquiry.
“It is important to highlight that the Commission, right at the beginning of its meetings, shot down this proposal. It is strange that the commission, which is standing on a thin line of trust, should take such a route,” cautions Namiwa.
The strange Chakwera-Zamba, MCP team allies
While Namiwa thinks its strange the commission should take the “secret route” The Investigator Magazine commissioned its own investigation to understand the background and reasons why they would have been able to make such decision in a sensitive inquiry.
12 of the Commissioners have direct links to President Chakwera, SPC Zamba or simply are Malawi Congress Party (MCP) supporters that Chakwera can trust them to produce a report that he wants- that the accident was a mere accident, and nobody contributed nor was negligent in pre and post-accident period.
Some of the commissioners have already done the same in different roles- defending Chakwera or Zamba as we will demonstrate:
Monsignor Boniface Thawale
Vocal anti-DPP cleric when he Chaired the Public Affairs Committee (PAC), Monsignor Thawale has become a friend and “fixer” for President Chakwera. He made sure PAC is silent and he has been a regular guest at Chakwera’s residence.
Apart from helping to tame PAC which for the first time has remained mum over growing food, fuel and economic crisis, the quasi-religious body has disappeared from all “public affairs” that it is no longer regarded as relevant in national discourse.
The Catholic cleric’s public manipulation in favour of President Chakwera’s machinations was visible in early 2023 when he was part of a commission of inquiry over the arrest of then Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Martha Chizuma. The commission report failed to answer a basic question “Who ordered Chizuma’s arrest?” Instead in a very strange manner blamed Chizuma and then Director of Public Prosecutions Dr. Steven Kayuni for the arrest!
After such a humiliating public debacle, Malawians cannot trust Monsignor Thawale to be impartial nor produce a credible report which will provide the answers the nation wants.
Mary Nkosi
The former respected banker has been an active Malawi Congress Party (MCP) since leaving the banking industry. President Chakwera’s first act as leader of the MCP after winning the party post in 2013 was to appoint Mary Nkosi as MCP Commissioner at the Malawi Electoral Commission. The two are both pastors and interacted through the Evangelical Association of Malawi and are close family friends, according to our findings.
The MEC post is a huge confidence approval for the party it represents, raising doubts about Mrs Nkosi’s ability to be impartial in her discharge of her work as a commissioner in Chilima’s death inquiry.
Nimia Kambili Mzembe
Another banker of repute, but close to SPC Colleen Zamba, was also among the first women appointed to a lucrative Board of Directors. She landed herself the plum non-executive Director role at the Reserve Bank of Malawi. She is hence a beneficiary of President Chakwera’s appointments whose character has been family, friends or party loyalists. She cannot be said to be impartial and be expected to bite the finger that has elevated her since 24 July 2020.
Mirriam Wemba
Just like Kambili Mzembe, she is among the first group of appointees when President Chakwera assumed power. Less than a month after he assumed office, the President appointed a new RBM Governor and new board. She was among the first appointees of the President, again an indication of how close she is to power and very unlikely to find anything that would implicate the government.
Esther Chioko
This one is a direct SPC Zamba loyalist and was involved in the 2022 cover-up of the Helen Buluma fuel allegations against the SPC. She was on the board of NOCMA that refused to appear before parliament and consequently helped to prevent the truth from being known to the public.
If she could hide the truth over fuel- we can’t believe she cannot hide the truth over that plane accident. She cannot stand the impartiality test.
Dr. Sunduzwayo Madise
Well by now, everyone knows Dr Madise’s opinion over the plane crash. Anyone in his position who would want to preserve his integrity- he would not have accepted to pick up a job everyone thinks is hopelessly biased towards the President, the government and the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Dr. Madise is perhaps the largest beneficiary of Chakwera benevolence and clearing the bwana’s name would be “a grateful role” Despite some links to Chilima’s widow, he is largely seen as the unlikely impartial commissioner.
To avoid all the doubt- Dr Madise since Chakwera came into office has been appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor for the University of Malawi, Chakwera’s old role of Chairperson of the Malawi National Sport Council and Commissioner for the Malawi Human Rights Commission.
On social media- he has been an ardent cheerleader leader of the administration and not impartial.
Emma Kaliya
The Gender activist and leader of the Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre (MHRC) is a friend and former work colleague of First Lady Monica Chakwera. On public record she has cheered President Lazarus Chakwera, with the loudest being he appointed SPC Zamba. She is quoted as advising government agencies to “emulate the great example of President Chakwera” in ensuring women participations in MDAs.
Not an impartial commissioner.
Inkosi Makwangwala
Recently appointed as board member for the state-owned ADMARC he is another loud cheerleader for the President. He has grown close with Local Government Minister Richard Chimwendo Banda, according to those that know the two.
He might not be expected to behave like the radicle Kwataines or others. Hence a safe choice for President Chakwera.
Dr. Ruth Mwandira
An international health expert has been a close associate of the Chakwera’s during different stages. Her expertise in the commission cannot be identified save for being “safe hands” for the government.
Pastor Toney Nyirenda
The Seventh Day Adventist head has of recent times been cosy with the President who has warmed up and attends all major events of the church. The two are reported to have been good friends for a while. The majority of those that perished were Catholic or Presbyterian that it is difficult to ascertain what role he would play. He is “safe hands” for the President.
Lidya Chiotcha
The lady is a library specialist and apparently another ally of SP Zamba. Her expertise and presence are unlikely to add value to the commission. She is another safe hand.
Cosgrove Mituka
The no-nonsense former military strongman has been played by politicians. But President Chakwera has appointed him before to several statutory corporations. He is unlikely want to unpleased his “President” and salvage the military reputation.
The Professionals and independent
Though there are questions on the remaining seven Commissioners, with Namiwa out, the six including Justice Jabber Alide of the Commercial Court, Inkosi ya Makhosi Mmbelwa V of Mzimba, Professor Nyengo Mkandawire of College of Medicine are largely classified as professional and independent minds that could be trusted to serve the public interest.
Justin Mkandawire and Dixie Kwatani are distinguished aviation professionals and have been Airport Commandants before and could explain what happened at the Airports while Alan Chinula is a senior legal practitioner who commands respect among his peers.
It is not known if these professionals would prevail over the majority of the power connected commissioners.
What next for the compromised commission
President Chakwera has been known to make all wrong appointments and the deliberate overload of friends, family and cheer leaders will haunt him like the Chizuma inquiry, making it tough for him to campaign the forthcoming elections over his deputy’s death.
He has always failed to act in time, delaying the commission until there was a threat of demonstrations and appointing questionable loyalists and supporters to probe a sensitive matter. His advisors and handlers have failed to provide proper direction for his presidency, and Chilima and eight other deaths will only be off public discourse if he can start to demonstrate that he has nothing to hide.
The 30-day period given to the commission is simply ridiculous, to say the least.
Otherwise, one can predict that this commission’s report will blame weather, old plane and not expose who gave wrong information or delayed the search that left the country’s second citizen dead cold for over 24 hours on a bare ground.
Editors message to Inquiry commissioners: open up, save your integrity
Whilst the men and women appointed are prominent in their societal roles, their conduct and legacy and work over this sensitive commission of inquiry would remain part of Malawi’s political history. And death is one of the most sensitive topics in our society. The Commission would exonerate itself if it conducted an open not a “hidden” inquiry as it has suggested. Only then, will history remember them as people who attempted to “find the truth” and not “hide the truth.”
Otherwise, should President Chakwera and MCP lose power in 2025, they could be hounded by the next government for “conspiring to defeat justice” and nobody will be there to save them.
One cardinal principle they need to remember is: power never lasts forever. Whatever report they produce will be subject to interrogation by history and future authorities. Their names and family names will be attached to this.
