What is happening at Chipimo’s party: The truth on the depature of the National Secretary

By Charles John Phiri III – NAREP Official

I visited the NAREP Secretariat yesterday to follow up on the news which was carried by many Media Houses concerning Rev. Jervan Kamanga and Mr. Elias Chipimo Jr. Media Houses carried the separation between Mr. Elias Chipimo Jr. and Rev. Jervan Kamanga with different headlines.

Some said Mr. Kamanga was fired, others said he resigned while others rightly said there was a mutual separation. I share the views of many people who hold that, David Kapoma, masquerading as Head of Administration and Presidential Assistant, handpicked by Chipimo without NEC blessings, has become malicious in handling the Party because of his ulterior motive to have total control of the Danish Funding to NAREP to which he is the Project Manager.

If Mr. Kamanga is failing to tell the truth on what happened, let me put you in the know.

Firstly, it is clear that Mr. Chipimo is very Broke and depends on the Danish money. He has no money to run the Party. Even the Sixteen Million Kwacha he declared most of it belongs to his wife. In December, he fired all his Security Officers after failing to pay them for 7 months. Mr. Aaron Banda, Mr. Alfred Banda, Major Newton Mulendema and Mr. Thomas Kapepele. At the same time he fired his Drivers Brian Kalonga and Humphrey Sinonge. The six people were not paid for seven months last year and they still remain unpaid.

The truth is that Mr. Chipimo did not fire Mr. Kamanga. The two had a mutual agreement as they failed to agree on matters of Principle, Policy, Protocol, Procedure and Provision. Mr. Chipimo has been killing his own Party by manipulation, control, divide and conquer and insecurity. 50% of Mr. Kamanga’s salary was coming from the Danish while the Party never honored its obligation of the other 50%, a matter Rev. Kamanga refused to discuss but was confirmed by a lady at the Secretariat.

Just after his meeting with Rev. Kamanga on Monday 23/03/15, Mr. Chipimo sent the remaining three members of staff on forced leave. Dingase Mtonga, Carol Kabanda and Memory Sichinga have not been paid for 10 months and yet they have been sent home empty handed.

When his minion Kapoma says they are reorganizing the party, what they mean is they are bankrupt and now they want to get rid of expenditure into human resource. The man from Denmark who visited Zambia in February went on five Radio Stations where he said the Danish were going to fund NAREP with US$400,000. Mr. Chipimo and Kapoma have been using this money to buy flats, houses, cars and to invest in personal businesses.

Secondly, in February, Mr. Chipimo failed to fire David Kapoma for going against the NEC resolution by reinstating the Youth League which was dissolved by the NEC last year. He failed to discipline him for staging a protest against the National Secretary. Kapoma held an illegal Press Conference. He illegally took money from the National Secretary’s salary under the pretext of saying the President will refund him in due course as there was no money. Mr. Chipimo failed to reverse the Youth League saga, an indication that he was either spineless to Kapoma or he was being blackmailed or it was his dictate against NEC resolution.

Thirdly, Mr. Chipimo preyed on the rumor that Mr. Kamanga was being courted by the PF to take up a Diplomatic position, a matter Mr. Kamanga has refused to discuss. Mr. Chipimo enjoys rumor mongering and that seems to be his makeup.

Fourthly, Mr. Chipimo has failed to run the party. Talking nicely alone won’t build him a party. To grow NAREP, Mr. Chipimo needed people like Rev. Jervan Kamanga who came in and added more value, face and flavor to NAREP unlike in the past where Chipimo was Narep and Narep was Chipimo. In the 4 years NAREP has been around, Mr. Chipimo has changed Secretary Generals six times. Mr. Kamanga has held the elms for two of the four years while the other five together did the other two years. First it was Mr. Zulu, then Charles Mwenya, John Phiri, Mbita Sumbwe and then Mike Muyawala before Rev. Kamanga took over in April 2013. There are many pointers to Mr. Kamanga’s successes as SG of NAREP which will be difficult to maintain.

How many people have left Mr. Chipimo from the NEC in the past one year? The National Treasurer, Chisoma Lombe resigned out of unknown reasons. Wilson Banda resigned alongside Brian Sibbuku, Dr. Biemba Maliti, Franks Sichone, Noble Mumbi, Tony Malunga, Nicholas Tembo, Levison Mumba, Brian Mashinkila, Beatrice Mudenda and Martin Kalale Musonda. The following older NEC members were unceremoniously fired by Mr. Chipimo without due course of the Party Constitution. The National Chairman Mr. Joseph Mushalika, Betty Muluwe, Edith Zimba, Patson Siakapa, Michelle Manda, Wallace Kakoma and Patra Muimui.

In my own view the problem is not the people who have left. It is President Elias Chipimo. The sooner he realizes that the better. Even the remaining few are on their way out. Dr. Francis Musonda, Mison Ndhlovu, Henry Mwelwa, Chipoka Mulenga and Coni Sandersorn may not stay. NAREP is now Elias Chipimo and David Kapoma. Be a man Mr. Chipimo.

Your friend Charles Milupi realized he was going nowhere and joined UPND. Your best friend Father Frank Bwalya realized he was broke and joined PF without maligning his people. Emulate them and you will live longer. It’s not too late to join PF. If not humble yourself and join MMD or UPND. HH will be happy to make you Ward Chairman.
Charles John Phiri III – NAREP OFFICIAL