The Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the Chikangawa plane crash, which claimed the lives of former Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight other people, will resume public hearings next week.
According to a media advisory released on Thursday, 21 August 2026, Phase Two of the inquiry is scheduled to run from Monday, 24 August, to Friday, 11 September 2026.
The second phase will shift focus to events surrounding the actual day of the flight, which ended in tragedy on 10 June 2024 when the aircraft crashed in Chikangawa Forest.
Committee Chairperson Walter Nyamilandu Manda, MP, said the new phase follows a comprehensive review of evidence gathered during Phase One.
He said the committee was now moving closer to establishing a clearer picture of the circumstances that led to the crash.
“We are entering a critical stage of this inquiry. Phase Two will interrogate the operational details of the flight, including planning, weather conditions and eyewitness accounts from the ground. We owe it to the families and the nation to pursue every lead with diligence,” Nyamilandu said.
To support the inquiry, the committee has invited several categories of witnesses. These include airport officials involved in flight planning, meteorology and fuelling, as well as weather experts who can provide evidence on the conditions prevailing on the day of the crash.
The list of potential witnesses also includes pilots with previous experience flying the same type of aircraft, community members who witnessed events around Nthungwa Forest, and any other individuals the committee may consider relevant as the proceedings continue.
Parliament has assured the public that the hearings will remain open, unless the committee resolves to conduct specific sessions in camera in accordance with the Standing Orders.
The arrangement, according to the advisory, is intended to promote transparency while allowing the committee to protect sensitive testimony where necessary.
The resumption of the hearings marks another significant step in Parliament’s efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash and provide answers to the families of those who lost their lives and the nation at large.
