UTM Party Secretary General Patricia Kaliati has expressed dissatisfaction with presidential contender Dalitso Kabambe’s letter to party president Michael Usi, urging him to push for a commission of inquiry into the June 10, 2024, plane crash that claimed the life of UTM Party founding president and Vice-President Saulos Chilima ¹.
Kabambe’s letter, dated October 2, 2024, requested Usi to engage President Lazarus Chakwera to expedite the inquiry process. However, Kaliati pointed out that the UTM Party had already written to President Chakwera on the matter, as his office is the only one authorized to institute a commission of inquiry, not the Vice-President’s ¹.
Kaliati described Kabambe’s letter as a “friendly letter” between two UTM Party presidential hopefuls. The Office of the Vice-President confirmed receipt of Kabambe’s letter, stating it would be brought to the Vice-President’s attention ¹.
Political analysts have weighed in on the issue, suggesting a lack of clarity on Kabambe’s motivations and questioning whether the letter was leaked to gain political mileage ¹. According to Ernest Thindwa, “The propensity to exploit the death of Vice-President Saulos Chilima has been evident among individual and institutional political actors since the demise of SKC.”
Chimwemwe Tsitsi added, “We cannot be very wrong to say Kabambe had wanted to gain some mileage out of this call by putting pressure on Usi as the current UTM leader.”
Under Section 89(1)(g) of the Constitution and Section 2(1) of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, the President has the mandate to appoint commissions of inquiry into matters of public interest ¹.
