Chakwera bounds for FOCAC Summit in Beijing-China

After successful visits to countries such as Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Italy, and Germany, President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera is set to leave the country for China to attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit scheduled from 4th-6th September 2024 in Beijing.

In a communique to Malawi Diaspora in China, the Embassy of the Republic of Malawi has invited Malawi Diaspora living in China especially those residing in Beijing and nearby Cities to come and meet the President on 4th September, 2024.

“Please note that those willing to travel to Beijing to meet the President will cover their transportation, accommodation, and other expenses,” reads the communique in part signed by Allan Chintedza, Ambassador.

President Chakwera will be traveling to China under pressure from Malawians to release reports on two investigations, one by the MDF and the other by the German experts into circumstances that led to the plane missing and crashing in the Chikangawa forest in Mzimba district on 10th June 2024.

Since June 2024 President Chakwera has not instituted a Commission of Inquiry to investigate circumstances that claimed the life of the departed Vice President Dr. Chilima and eight others, on board the crashed plane.

President Chakwera has been seen to be quiet doing his business as usual making millions of Malawians to suspect that he took a hand in the death of Dr. Chilima and eight others, in the Chikangawa forest in Mzimba and this was evidenced by a police crackdown on Cyber-related offenses.

In an exclusive interview with a German television station DW Africa, President Chakwera admitted receiving the final report on the investigation describing it as a preliminary report but Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu said there was nothing of that sort.

Leader of Opposition in Parliament Dr. George Chaponda speaking in Parliament called for the said report to reach Malawians saying families of the deceased and the public need to understand the plane tragedy’s circumstances.

“Malawians are anxiously waiting for the report, the families and the public need to understand what really happened in the plane crash,” he said.

Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) Michael Kaiyatsa has been quoted in the media having said it is disturbing to note that President Chakwera opted to open up to the international media about the plane crash report when the local citizenry remains in the dark.

On his part, Political activist Bon Kalindo said bad omens are surrounding President Chakwera and his MCP-led government claiming that they do not know what they are doing in government and praying that the spirits of the departed souls in the Chikangawa forest continue to haunt them to September 2025 elections.