Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has given Minister of Local Government Richard Chimwendo Banda a 7-days ultimatum on claims that he was blocked from boarding a plane which killed former Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima and 8 others on June 10, 2024.
CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa said this during a media briefing held at Crown Hotel in the capital Lilongwe on Wednesday.
According to Namiwa, media reports claim that Chimwendo Banda was blocked from boarding the plane by unknown person and the reason being the plane was full to capacity.
Namiwa said that the plane that crashed into Chikangawa forest had a sitting capacity of 19 and on the fateful day it only carried 9 people including the then United Transformation Movement (UTM) President Dr. Saulos Chilima, former first lady Patricia Shanil Zimbiri and seven others.
According to Namiwa, CDEDI wants Chimwendo Banda to clear himself on this within a period of 7 days.
Effort to talk to Chimwendo Banda who is also Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Secretary General proved futile.
