The State House has responded to news about Sylvester Namiwa‘s sudden resignation from the commission investigating the plane crash that killed former Vice President Saulosi Chilima and eight others, saying it’s not officially aware of his departure.
President Lazarus Chakwera set up the commission last month after public demand for an investigation into the accident. Namiwa, who was appointed to the commission, unexpectedly resigned just hours after his appointment.
He expressed concerns over the lack of transparency, specifically because witness statements would be taken in secret.
Robert Kalindiza, spokesperson for the Office of the President and Cabinet, stated that the resignation letter received doesn’t clearly show it came from Namiwa himself. Instead, the letter includes the name of an organization, raising questions about its legitimacy.
Kalindiza explained, “We’ve heard about his resignation, but there’s a difference between Mr. Namiwa himself and the organization mentioned in the letter. He was appointed personally, not as a representative of any group.”
In reply, Namiwa dismissed the State House’s stance as irrelevant, saying, “That’s nonsense. It makes no difference.”
