NAREP President Elias Chipimo Jnr has announced that he will temporarily withdraw from the presidential campaigns after his father was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach.
Mr Chipimo said his father is currently admitted in a cancer hospital in South Africa who lives there and his brothers and sisters who have travelled to be by his side.He told a media briefing that he has instructed other NAREP officials to proceed with ongoing campaigns for the January 20 presidential election.
‘My dedication to the journey we started nearly five years ago is as firm as ever and will never waive. We shall continue to campaign and spread our message of hope and economic freedom for every Zambian, firmly believing that our approach and commitment have touched and will continue to touch the hearts of many,’ he said.
Mr Chipimo added, ‘In the nine days of the campaign remaining, I have chosen to make an important decision to temporarily suspend my campaign in order to spend time with the man who gave me life, my father. Just over three weeks ago, Dad was diagnosis with stomach cancer. Given his age and the extent to which the cancer appears to have spread, the prognosis does not look promising.’
‘I have had to come to terms with the prospect of sooner or later saying good bye to an inspirational giant of a man whose lone voice spoke out bravely against the tyranny of one party state in Zambia, at great personal cost.’
The NAREP leader stated that, ‘My father has never looked back on his life with regret. He remains the fighter he has always been but he needs his family around him now. He needs to experience the blessings of having his three daughters and four sons by his side as he prepares to celebrate his 84th birthday. I do not know how many more days, weeks, months or years God will grant him. All I know is that there is a time for everything and I want to spend whatever time he has left on this earth assuring him, along with my brothers and sisters of my love, support and admiration.’
Mr Chipimo has since asked Zambians to pray for his father as he battles through his cancer and that they respect his time away from the campaigns to be with him.
‘My time away does not amount to the end of our participation in the forthcoming election and should not be read as a sign of endorsement of any candidate. I urge all our supporters across the country to continue with the campaign in my absence and ensure that peace prevails wherever they go.’
Yes please we respect your decision, wise enough.
Elias you can be wise, but I think you write too much. Time will come when you need to write a book about your father, but today just say “guys naya mupempula umu fyashi”.
Miracles happen, your father may live another 10 years. We will pray for him.
Wishing Elias Chipimo Snr all the best. May God’s will be done.
It’s a better excuse than facing defeat on 1/20
I wish chipimo senior a quick recovery and good health. He is one of the fearless freedom fighters who constantly reminded Kaunda of his tyranny.
Get well soon true son of the soil. My God bless you.
I wish Andrew can emulate you ,what a good son. Andrew only remembers his Dad RB njala ikamunyonkola.
Wishing your Dad a quick recovery.
Meanwhile IFNTU NI LUNGU
We wish Chipimo senior health and strength at this stage of his life. He has always been an inspiration. It’s a pity such great men with focus , morality and standards are unable to have power . Perhaps it’s the fact that they are principled and rely on the strength of their argument to claim recognition instead trying to get power for powers sake by bribing Chiefs, forgiving unprincipled corrupt leaders so that you can get their endorsement and support. Freeing convicted criminals to try and get back Lamba support. Ignoring the evil past of metal dealers who steal copper from trucks , accepting the party of traditional ministers who want to change Paramiunt a Chiefs while at the same time courting those very same Chiefs contrary to the people whose vision you claim you want to follow.
So Elias , I hope you will one day complete you fathers mission but unfortunately like HH , you are too principled for lumpens and thugs who surround a certain Presidential candidate . National development is just a means for these people to earn a living not to improve the welfare of poor citizens. To stay in power these political chameleons use any trick. To the corrupt they offer money, to the tribalist a they appeal to tribal loyalties. To the imprisoned they offer amnesty. To the violent they offer opportunity to use Panga’s.
It’s difficult to defeat such an opponent bcs they have no rules and prey on the poverty of the population.
A day when people like HH, and Chipimo can become president is when Zambia can start looking more like Botstwana, Namibia and less like DRC or CAR
After the whitewash, this boy will attribute the defeat to the illness of his father. All the same, it is wise of Elias to look after his father rather than his own selfish ends of becoming the next President.
Good decision Junor. Family first policy is the best policy.
Mr Chipimo, wishing you comfort in what must be a very difficult time.
The demands of the office you seek come at a very high personal cost, and while I completely understand, I can’t help but think of your campaign team who I’m sure have sweated to bring NAREP to the point of being on the ballot.
Electronic media can be a very useful tool in situations such as yours. NAREP didn’t hold a significant number of rallies which would demand your presence in person – so I’ll say carry on pushing forward for your supporters’ sake and best wishes in this difficult time.
I wish you all the best. You are wise because we only live once. There will always be another chance to campaign but nothing can replace the moment of being with your father in his sick bed. May God be with you and your family through this hard time.
You are just a neonate in politics. Not even a councellor sure!
Have some empathy please. It is not always politics.
@ Lisa, a little sympathy could have gone a long way at this time, no matter how you feel about Alias and Narep. Please show a human face for once!
@Lisa
maaan, you’re cold!
Something must have happened to you to make you this unfeeling.
Is Zambia a province of S Africa? Why is it that every top politician or their relatives go to S Africa for medical treatment? Where is Zambia’s independence? This is shameful. People fight for independence but when they are sick or their relatives are sick they rush to S Africa. Even the helicopters Edgar Lungu is using in his campaign are from S Africa.
Read again my friend yu se3m to be lost. We not talking about rubbish politics now but chipimos dad who lives in SA and got sick.
Akainde akalema also stays in SA
@spongebob – *****. Stupid moron. Chipimo’s father is Zambian what us he doing living in S Africa? The father of a future leder living in another country why?
A Bemba creep. One less, 7 to go. How can a whole country have 9 out of 11 candidates from one tribe? When is the next giving an excuse to run away from the battleground? It is for a non Bemba to rule this time.
?????? Are you sure 9 out if 11 candidates are Bemba? Then the tribal stuff should stop, it shows that most Bembas are in opposition.
It is a blessing for the bemba vote to be divided amongst themselves whilst the other regions vote HH. God is in control.
Please learn to be sensible. Elias is going through a great difficulty and you really had to bring up such a nonsesical issue???
Opelletire or whatever , stupid statement. I don’t know which end of your intestines is the annus or the mouth. I support HH but tribe is never the reason . I like Chipimo and I think it will be difficult for him at any time because he is too princioled. Whether Bemba or Kaonde if you are straight and principle it’s tough to compete with lumppens that run markets like PF
Bembas don’t vote as you think. Bembas have the best network of commnucation in zambia. Don’t think bembas will always vote a bemba. We know when it ours and when its not ours.So apa ni Lungu and will respond in unison
Ba LT you must research before writing some of the medical terminologies .what is acute cancer of the stomach?So there is Chronic cancer of the stomach?
see link below
****
TOO BAD BA KATEKA BE WITH YO FATHER & VOTES YOU STILL HAVE THEM ON POLLING DAY.
Your Father will stil be with us only greaty almighty knows.
“BEST WISHERS TO YOUR FATHER”.
just withdraw leave chi Edgar and Mr HH batle it out my guy.
You sound as though you have already written a eulogy for your father, and you are reciting from it. Nevertheless, you do have nice words for your father and may God bless you and be with you and your family through this hard time.
there’s no harm in being oragmatic in relation to death. Of course the prognosis is poor, given his age.
The refusal to accept death and prepare for it (financially too, not just spiritually) is common in our culture.
It’s coming to us all, no need to fear it. Mr. Chipimo, by Zambian standards has had a good run and his son is taking the time to say goodbye – instead of denying the natural inevitable.
What a pragmatic decision demonstrated to some Zambians who were hiding sickness of a national leader with gullible attitude of self delusion. Mr Elias Chipimo Jr speaks volumes of a progressive up coming and inspiring representing the young and old. At the right time in future Zambians will accord him the potential of his leadership when old barbaric politics and its followers will have been rejected for ever in Zambia.
@Aquilla
Agree wholeheartedly.
(That’s all I got but LT demands I say more)
To bad my dear, God bless you .See you in 2016.
That shows you are wise, unlike those who leave their wives to suffer because of their greedy for material things. Sacrificing integrity for a dear one’s life. May God grant the big man a quick recovery
Nanga ni mukazi wauso?
I think Elias Chipimo snr is a great son of Zambia. KK harassed this man and had him locked up quite a few times, but he never gave up fighting the gullible one party state of Kaunda and Grey Zulu.
I remember meeting him at Lusaka theatre club in the 80s after he was released from jail.I asked him how prison was and he said to me,I ve four words for you young man, “I didn’t like it!”, after which he took a long swig from his mug of Mosi.
I will pray for him.
WISE DECISION.
MET CHIPIMO SENIOR WHEN HE CAME TO DO HIS DEGREE IN LAW AT UNZA. NICE GUY.
DAYS ON THIS PLANET ARE GIVEN BY THE LORD. MAY THE LORD GIVE HIM MANY MORE DAYS.
This is a respectable decision. I take my hat off for Elias Chipimo Jr. Compare this to some old man who abandoned his wife in SA even when he is not a candidate!
@Jethro, you can’t even compare your father with Chipimo senior- he is way out of your League! This is a principled man only in the doyen league of KK, Miyanda, Levy and certainly not FTJ, Cobra and far from EL! If we only had 10 citizens of his calibre- Zambia would be far!
@ MB
How does MIYANDA come into that. Miyanda is a just a former Army officer, end of story. Stop mixing apples and masuku, you are confusing ignorant people.
I know we say a lot of things when somebody is about to die, BUT there is NOTHING special that CHIPIMO SENIOR did that other humble souls didn’t do. Just praise him with saying too much, remember there are always people who know a little bit more than you do. Let us leave it at that, he is in hospital now. We shouldn’t create a situation where some people’s names are unnecessarily elevated when their contribution was much less that even some who have never even been mentioned before. End of story.
”’for a moment I thot he was withdrawing from the race kanshi its a withdraw from campaigns….??
…K10,000 nomination fee is well more than an annual salaries for some people…guards, maids, shop assistants…etc…I feel for the 9 candidates who chose to flush the loot down the toilet consciously and knowingly of the out come of the elections…
Respect goes to the old man Chipimo Snr. I always salute upon hearing mention of his name….some one who would look into the eyes of a tyrant and speaks his mind without fear…very few of a kind..
…may the lord easy the suffering as you prepare to wave us goodbye on that red carpet as a gallant and hero…
Ba LT employ a competent editor, icisungu cabipisha phew
I remember Mr Elias Chipimo Sr has a person who contributed to english comprehension and composition through his book he wrote with a white man “our land and people”
Too much information…!