By Kayen’u Chin’ambu
The political scenario has continued to amuse and stun Zambians since the former President Dr Fredrick Chiluba rushed to choke Michael Sata‘s throat a long term friend they shared the same platform and confided in each other.
Today they are political foes in the boxing ring and ready to drag each other to court for the wounds that Dr Chiluba inflicted on King Cobra Sata.
King Cobra’s venom was not strong enough to clean Dr Chiluba’s wild allegation on his alleged polygamous affair and opted to pull him to court where he would spill it all. And Chiluba is ready for the dossier and to reveal more.
Away from the Chiluba and Sata saga is a young man who has emerged on a political scene with the formation of the National Restoration Party (NAREP) to set a new tone and to give Zambians a chance to fresh ideas.
Lusaka Times recently reported on Elias Chipimo Junior, a little known figure in Zambian politics but a successful and hardworking businessman and his team that have formed NAREP.
While his political foes have not yet bruised Chipimo and his team as they are still plotting for the right disparaging words to throw in his political arena, he has to convince some Zambians who are skeptical to change or adapt to anything new.
Chipimo has outlined his NAREP’s vision as one based on equitable and prosperous Zambia playing its role as an alternative energy superpower, continental breadbasket, regional inland infrastructure and logistics hub, a centre of technological, and innovative excellence.
Who Chipimo Junior is
Chipimo Junior is the founder and managing partner of Corpus Legal Practitioners, Zambia’s largest law firm, established in 1995 and is a graduate from the University of Zambia and Oxford University in 1990-92.
He is the Managing Partner and senior partner, responsible for corporate advisory work, mergers, acquisitions, investments and privitisations.
Chipimo’s main area of work is corporate law, principally advisory work on mergers and acquisitions, privatisation and capital markets related work in Zambia as well as within the Southern African region.
He handled acquisitions of numerous companies and undertakings being sold as part of the Zambian government privatisation programme acting on behalf of large multinationals, many entering Zambia for the first time.
Chipimo acted on numerous acquisitions of mining assets which are responsible for the bulk of Zambia’s foreign exchange earnings.
He was born on 3 September 1965, is a father of two boys, and he is Bemba by tribe.
Chipimo Joined the Law Firm in 1995 and dealt in areas of ,capital Markets, commercial Law, competition, contract Law ,corporate Advisory Service, corporate and business, foreign Investment, mining Privatization, project Financing, projects, and utilities.
He has accomplished the establishment of Zambia’s law practice and leading commercial services firm, professional Associations, international Bar Association, member of Rhodes scholarship selection committee (Zambia), member of the Law Association of Zambia.
He also holds various board memberships representing interests of multinational shareholders in Zambian subsidiaries.
The NAREP leader has written articles on the privatisation process and capital markets in Zambia’s largest circulation financial newspaper and a contributor to Rocky Mountain Mineral Law publication setting out information on mining transactions in Zambia.
He was admitted to the bar in 1989, Zambia
He retired from the firm to pursue a long-held desire to set in motion a process that he believes will ultimately see the development of a new national mindset through the assumption of greater personal responsibility by all.
Chipimo says he has been keenly involved in addressing the plight of the vulnerable and in 2000, he established Plan for Giving, a non-governmental organisation set up to identify needs within Lusaka area and to channel direct support to these areas through a unique system of corporate support.
He established “The Least of My People” Trust two years ago as inspired by the responsibility highlighted by Jesus in Matthew 25 (‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.).
Chipimo says the Trust sponsors 12 children through middle basic schooling in various Lusaka schools.
A branch of the Trust is about to be opened in Kaoma where it will support an additional 10 pupils.
Chipimo believes in the importance of family, enjoys spending time with his wife and children.
He also enjoys reading and playing golf in his spare time and could often be found farming his maize crops.
The NAREP leader says he established the Restoration Forum which is an organisation that aims to encourage every Zambian to take more responsibility, to better manage time, and to live up to their commitments.
He is currently writing a book based on his opinion of the leadership in Zambia and the current state of the nation. The book is scheduled for publication later this year. Watch the space.
NAREP’s goal
The NAREP leader Chipimo Junior also noted in his official speech that anybody living in Zambia today knows that while the country is rich , the human index statistics portray a nation that is poor.
While the country is not at war with the neighbouring states, the nation has no peace with itself.
The politicians seem to be at constant war with one another even when the country is declared as a Christian nation, the conduct of leaders reflect a nation that has no love of Christ as its goal.
Chipimu Junior points that while all the shouting is going on, development remains stunted death and disease knock on the door of every household that is unable to afford drugs to treat complicated as well as common ailments.
Poor feeder roads constrain rural development, flooding and diseases such as cholera occur every rainy season in high density areas with no solution in sight, and constant disruptions in energy and fuel supplies have become an accepted part of business and daily living
The employment remains elusive for the many people, the nation’s school leavers, and in the middle of all this, political leaders seem shamelessly proud that they can still convince foreign nations to pay for the problems they have brought upon themselves.
Politician’s failure
Indeed the NAREP party leader has pointed out some of the weakness that has become an accepted norm in our beloved country.
Zambia is so rich but our leaders plans are not working in addressing many issues aimed at improving infrastructure in many towns and districts.
The sight of most towns is poor and pathetic yet we have leaders that could inspire for improved living environment for its citizens.
The country is still having the same buildings that were built in the Kaunda regime and no effort has been made to improve them or build other structures to befit this modern era.
But the Vice President George Kunda’s slogan at every gathering he convenes he feeds people with the notion that Hakainde Hichilema’s entering into a PACT with Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata is a marriage of convenience. The two are different and have different ideologies.
The people need development at every grassroots and have nothing to do with politics of name calling.
However, if one critically looks at the current political parties in the country, they are nothing but an offspring of the MMD and where formed out of frustration when their leaders pulled out of it.
No wonder they hold so much hatred of each other instead of embracing the spirit of unit to forge ahead in developing the nation.
Even when one is talking sense the other party will always find room to oppose for sake of gaining political mileage.
Though the new political party has come to this arena of insults, arena of hatred it should be careful before it disappears like Heritage Party, UNIP, Agenda for Zambia, and Nevers Mumba’s party.
NAREP on the Web
While NAREP has new ideas it should start having grass root support from the entire country rather than just throwing them on the internet through facebook.
This system worked for Barrack Obama, but it cannot work in Zambia were few people have access to the internet because the current political leaders have not made it a priority or as a tool that could speed up development.
The internet is so expensive and Google research show that Zambia has the highest price for surfing on the internet in Southern Africa.
But we can only give credit to our political leaders for being good tourist overseas, trotting around the global but never implement the development that they admire in foreign countries.
One hopes this new party could live to its vision, avoid politics of mudslinging, add new era of imparting a sense of confidence in politics and woo the support of the electorates and convince the skeptics that change may be good after all.
Short of that they will meet King Cobra Sata who will spit venom at them, become shortsighted, and forget their vision for the nation.
You are hereby invited to attend a meeting at the Zambia High Commission on Friday, 12 March 2010 starting from 1800 – 2030. The meeting is to enlighten fellow Zambians here in the UK about the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) which has been created by the Government of Zambia to enable it provide funds for Zambians to run businesses. The Chief Executive of CEEC, Ms Mable Mung’omba will lead the discussions.
Good luck and welcome to the political field.
What meeting at the Zambia High Commission, their site does not even have a list of events of calender!!! Does the government have any standards for their sites? Canada has one layout, UK another, USA totally different, y ba zambia, standardise and give us an calender of events in advance.
Sheer waste of time blogging about the insignificant. We all know it wil boil down to 2 Giants, PF n MMD, had the latter not the machinery ,the former would be ruling now……..
Wow so Chipimo is such a bright and talented young man ? Good for him.Anyway we have seen so many pipo with accomplished credentials come and go on the zambian political scene starting from Chama Chakomboka,Dean Mungomba,Godfrey Miyanda,Inonge wina,Gwendoline conie,Roger chongwe to name but few and i have no doubt that this ambitious young man is headed for the dust bin.Good luck to him.:-?
This Chipimo boy also made his money like HH, wish he just kept hs stolen money away from politics- ama pate ya fula mu zambia- twapapata- spare us.Anyway, welcome will use your money
Kayen’u Chin’ambu, I was reading your above article ‘Challenges For NAREP’ with keen interest until I got to a point where you mention ‘ Chipimo is Bemba by tribe’, I immediately stopped reading in total disbelief. Is it necessary to mention he is a bemba? Who cares about tribe? By the way you forgot to tell us what tribe you are but I’m not going to tell you what my tribe is because that is irrelevant.
# 7, that was just introduction about who chipimo is, so please go ahead and read the article, then write something about what you feel ok. Do not worry about the writer we know who he is and where he comes from ,
Chipimo Jr should have joined the forces of UPND like what prof Chirwa did. Too many political parties will not help this. The ideas are good but who will listen to those ideas?
This is just a ploy by Bemba tribes because they have already seen sata will not contest the elections because of his education…!!! I still fears chipimo came very late and it will be another party like FDD during 2001 elections. They thought, they will win by not joining Mazoka and formed their own party FDD, where is it now. Otherwise, chipimo, we wish you good luck..and careful not to waste money any how by those woves unless you have more like HH..you should have joined UPND like Chirwa did..!!!!
Young Chipimo has done well by forming his own party.UPND is not the same under HH especially with the PACT thing.What Chipimo should do now is to dedicate hist time and tell the people what he will do and show HH that he was wrong to abondon his issue-based politics and embrace the style of Sata.You have my vote.
waste of time wen those nazis willrig the electionsagain…plz god help uswe r sinking ft
Welcome to the political arena Elias, having worked with on various projects, I have no doubt, that you will be able to perform beyond peoples expectations.You are a man of vision and principle, wish you all the best and Gods blessings.
This Chipimp boy and his tribalist supporters must stop this dream .They are worsting their time and money. Let their be two camps. The rulling and opposition. Surely, if you are interested in the people and not your pocket, you will belong to either side. We are tired of mushrooming political parties. They are just fragmenting votes.Chipimo, join the MMD your sponsors! You are yet to face it in politics. An LLB does not scare SATA. He has employed people with LLB, LLM to work for him. Thats the man you will be facing. With loads of experience. By the way, tell us how many people your NGOs have feed. Where are they situated. I am sending my bro to go and see what they do.
Ba Chipimo, you are using facebook to launch your party in Zambia? something is seriously wrong with you. you are so disillussioned its not even funny.
My only concern is that Chipimo thinks he is Zambias Obama!![-x. Teti!!
Welcome Young Chipimo, HH is your only competition, but do not worry, he has been written off, by his own people, as he has become a young Cobra, taking lessons from its father, no respect, no vision, in self destruction mode. So yes, Chipimo, you are our hope. I hope all the bemba tribalist that follow Sata for the sake of him Bemba, will shift camp, and follow this visionary Bemba man. Chipimo you are the future, dont let them scare you about experience. What experience did KK have in 1964? Please son of Zambia, take away those voters from that evil man who has seduced my Bemba tibesmate by him simply been a Bemba. THAT CHAP SATA WILL NOT HAVE THE BEMBA VOTE, THIS TIME THE BEMBA VOTE IS FOR CHIPIMO.
If only we’d all be serious and for once consider the plight of our nation. No idea who this guy Chipimo is, but give him a chance and move away from complacency – there’s always got to be a new beginning~o)
One of my concerns is the Obama copy-cat stance he taken all the way down to the use of facebook. These are serious illusions! My other concern is rather sad. He has been making money selling off Zambia’s assets to so called foreign investors for the last fifteen years and now wants to lead an assetless country? Practically speaking, Zamtel is the last of Zambia’s assets on the chopping block and I bet he is reaping from that as well; and he knows the well will dry up soon; where else to be after that but in the driving seat of the biggest payer in the economy? Nice move. As for education, it is no secret that lawyers are NOT the brightest people in the country, neither are they the biggest achievers; Look at where the previous lawyer left us? My characters are finished……..
Lawyers are business men first , anything else second. Someone has already pointed out similarities with how HH made his money and his transition into politics. Unfortunately, I think the similaities are valid. Notice that I do not comment on the article above, it is very poorly written, and abviously written with an agenda to promote. If we could form opinions about written matter before we read it, I would not have read it. No one should begrudge this young man his right to political ambition, but the urge to lead and not be led is overwhelming in his approach. Making money in a fragmented economic environment does not qualify anyon to be President of poor people. If he had real intentions to serve, why not contest for a parliamentary seat under his new party if he so wishes?
Experience in parliament and public service is an invaluable source of knowledge on how the governnemnt works. This is the biggest advantage that Sata has over all other presidential aspirants, he knows how the thing works.having been in public service I wish for a President who has been there and done that, preferably an Economist or a socially and economically aware Engineer, other academic, etc NOT a lawyer! Somehow it matters. Lastly, my apologies for painting all lawyers with the same brush, I cant help it, they have bad reputation. But money is sweet and never short of followers. I am looking for intelligent young Zambians to revampp UNIP-that’s what I call National Restoration! Missed opportunity, this young man should have gone to revive his fathers party, the party that fed him!
April 3, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Am interested in reading the MANIFESTOS of all parties involved in the next elections. My advice to all parties involved, is to start publishing their manifestos now so ordinary zambians have the chance to start deciding on who to elect.Am personally interested in how the parties will tackle or address the issues ofgross under development once in office.Please advise where we can find this information if it is available.If not,why is this important information not only available,accessible, as we are all stake holders.We need to know the developmental priorities of all parties,areas identified for restructuring, time scale,how/where the money is going to be raised to meet the relevant objectives.Now is the time to start selling yourselves through the manifestos…
Corrupt Third World Elites are “The Most Wretched of the Earth”- and when all is said and done they even brag about how they changed their countries, but alas to dust and ashes. Whosoever has bewitched Third Word Elites is a real nut, coz their idiosyncrasy makes me sick. They change not! Todate, Afric can not even make a needle! and we seem to go round in circles, from cape all through to cairo. Shame! Africa has had more than 200 Presidents since 1960, obtained counted millions of dollars as foreign Aid, and we are still stuck in our huts, save for a few crooks and their cronies who parade in suits and luxury cars and mansions. Rubbish!