Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), Justin Saidi, has told the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee investigating the Chikangawa plane crash that arrangements for the Vice President’s local and international travel fall exclusively under the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
Saidi said the Secretary to the Vice President is responsible for coordinating travel arrangements in consultation with the Vice President, who personally determines the preferred mode of transport for each trip.
He said that the OPC and the Chief Secretary are not involved in operational decisions regarding the Vice President’s travel and play no role in selecting the mode of transport.
Explaining the protocol for acquiring an aircraft from the Malawi Defence Force (MDF), Saidi said the OPC does not actively participate in the procurement or allocation of military aircraft, describing its role as largely administrative.
According to Saidi, the established procedure requires the Office of the Vice President to submit a formal request to the OPC seeking presidential authorization for the use of an MDF aircraft.
The request must state the purpose of the trip and justify the need for military air transport.
Once approved by the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the MDF, the decision is communicated to the Office of the Vice President and the MDF through official channels.
He added that, in practice, the Secretary to the Vice President often communicates directly with the MDF Commander on matters relating to the provision and deployment of military aircraft for official travel.
Saidi’s testimony forms part of the committee’s inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the June 10, 2024 plane crash that claimed the lives of former Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima and eight others.