National Restoration Party (NAREP) President Elias Chipimo has demanded that President Lungu must come clean over the handing over of 10% of the Black Mountain to the Jerabos.
Addressing a media briefing in Lusaka on Friday where he touched on a number of issues, Mr Chipimo accused the President of merely using the Black Mountain issue as a public relations stance to hold onto his slim chances of surviving the political storm that is brewing.
“Make no mistake, we need to ask the question: what deal has been done with the Jerabos? The President is merely using this as a public relations stance to hold onto his slim chances of surviving the political storm that is brewing,” he said
Below is Mr Chipimo’s full press address
2 March 2018
Eight years ago today, we launched our party at Mulungushi International Conference Centre. I will quote some of the words I used then in my launch address because I believe they still ring true today:
“Our politicians seem to have no long-term vision or plan to take us to new heights as a nation. At a time such as this, every Zambian should be asking the question: what can I do for my country? Many of us sit idly by as our politicians fight with each other; when the nation is being torn apart at the core. We can no longer blame only the politicians for the state of politics in our country. We must all examine our lives and see where we have individually failed our nation. Each one of us regularly faces the choice about whether to embrace or reject a culture of hate; whether to embrace or reject a culture of violence; whether to embrace or reject a culture of insults. Each of us can decide to do the right thing when it becomes clear to us that our action can make a positive difference. We cannot take satisfaction in blaming corruption and intolerance on our political leadership when in our very own homes; in our very own workplaces, in our churches and social communities, we remain small dictators that reject correction and wise counsel from the people around us who see our faults all too clearly. When we ourselves lie to, steal from and cheat one another daily.
And this is where the change and transformation of our nation must begin. It must start from within; with each one of us seeking to understand the role we have played in harming our common interests. With each one of us seeking to understand how we can make things better. We must ask ourselves what it is we have to do to be more responsible citizens and create the Zambia that we all wish to live in.”
We meet again at a time when I wish I could be the bearer of good news about what is going on in our nation but, sadly – although expectedly, nothing much has changed. If anything, things are much worse. We are still plagued by mediocrity, corruption greed and neglect. We are still consumed with politics of division rather than unity and we are still witnessing the relentless pursuit of power at any price.
If the current administration was wise, they would open their eyes and ears to the open rebellion from the people who have had enough of the greed and manipulation of the nation’s resources. We see this with the private media who have become victims of greed and neglect as epitomised by the TopStar deal; we see this with the rush to promulgate the new Health Bill into law that will place an even further burden of tax on already highly taxed citizens who hardly have any decent income to speak of; we see this in the handing over of Kitwe’s famous “Black Mountain”; in the blatant and abhorrent campaign tactic of desecrating children’s school books with the portrait of a president; in the desire to usher in a new national airline without the requisite accountability framework in place and without thinking about our strategic interests. We also see a government that wants to do plausibly good things but lacks the credibility to be believed it can be trusted to look after interests other than those of a few individuals whose sole aim appears to be to hold onto power even if this means undermining the rights of ordinary citizens and depriving them of the right to a free and fair election.
As you see, the list of issues is a long one. So let us tackle them one by one.
TopStar
We have now entered the so-called digital migration era. This was supposed to be a time when our local media could flourish under new rules and regulations that would enable them to broadcast their content across the country at minimal cost and educate and inform the nation while making a sensible commercial return.
Sadly, as with all things that the current administration has been able to lay their grubby hands on, this is slowly turning into a nightmare for the hard-working men and women in the private media sector. To date we have had no explanation as to why ‘Phase One’ of the digital migration cost only $9.6 million and covered 6 provinces and yet ‘Phase Two’ somehow required a loan of $273 million to cover only 4 provinces. There can be no logic or justification for such an astounding difference and an explanation must be provided to the people of Zambia.
We know that Mr. Chishimba Kambwili was privy to a lot of things and can easily provide the requisite data as to what really transpired in this matter. We are ready to work with him to bring the evidence to court in a civil action and will be engaging with him to see how we can bring this issue to the full attention of local and international audiences. We demand answers to some very troubling questions:
– Who was the $273 million paid to?
– How was it utilised?
– Why was it acquired on behalf of a foreign company, which is 60 per cent owned by non-Zambians?
– Where were the payments made?
– What was the actual cost of ‘Phase Two Implementation’ of the digital migration if ‘Phase One’ cost only $9.6 million?
– Who signed the relevant documentation and on what basis?
– How is it that a digital signal carrier has now become a content provider as well as a pay TV channel at the expense of local media and production companies?
These questions need answers.
We must demand an audit before we can be compelled to pay the ever increasing taxes being imposed on us. If our taxpayer monies are being spent in a reckless manner, why should we have to have to carry the cost of other people’s corruption and greed and mediocrity? Why should we be charged a tax to maintain health services when our ministries are authorized to spend $288,000 on individual ambulances that are worth less than a quarter of that price? Why should we squander our hard earned resources to pay over four times the value of fire tenders and then be made to pay for the cost of maintaining our roads. We demand our rights as citizens to a full audit of the monies that have been spent in our name as a nation.
Health Bill
The current administration is going all guns blazing in its attempt to introduce a Health Bill to pay for health services and infrastructure. We appeal to our colleagues in parliament to stand up and for once defend the Zambian citizen and taxpayer. If there was something worth protesting about, it would be the attempt to place an even heavier burden on an already heavily burdened citizenry that has already has to suffer the intolerable cruelty of a selfless and uncaring administration and is now being asked to pay for its reckless lack of fiscal discipline.
We are all already burdened with debt from the Eurobond and the numerous loans from China that are building our roads and infrastructure along with the personal homes and properties of some of our leaders through overpricing and laundering. Should we really be required to bear the indignity of being stripped of what remains of our meager earnings after being pummeled by an economy that appears only to favour those with Grand connections?
We reject the attempt to place a further burden on us through this indirect tax. If the current administration of the PF is at all serious about raising funds, let them plug the loopholes that are allowing their most sacred cronies to benefit from their connections and channel the savings into the sectors that most need developmental support.
Black Mountain
Here we go again. The long-suffering youth on the Copperbelt have once again been duped into believing a Party that is desperate to hold onto power actually cares them for. They were fooled once in order to extract their vote and they are being fooled again into believing the PF actually cares about them. Make no mistake, we need to ask the question: what deal has been done with the Jerabos? The President is merely using this as a public relations stance to hold onto his slim chances of surviving the political storm that is brewing.
I have visited illegal miners and spoken to families whose sons have died digging up material in unsafe locations just because they are desperate to make a life for themselves. If the PF really cared about the Jerabos or any of the youth struggling to make a life for themselves on the Copperbelt, they would not treat this matter as lightly as they have. We want our people to own large-scale mining licenses in the future. This will come about by investing in the young people and putting in place partnership arrangements that will ensure they are fully and properly trained to engage in productive and sustainable mining practices that will build them up to even greater ownership roles in future mines. This is why NAREP is proposing implementation of the TiPanGeni initiative for genuine empowerment that will build skills and create wealth in all communities across the nation.
Land
The recent presentation of the land policy has ended up in disaster for the simple reason that the Chiefs – the original custodians of the land predating our colonial history – have seen the real intention behind the proposed changes. We have a government that does not regard traditional authorities as the best guardians of the land and yet is prepared to give away valuable and precious land to foreign investors in unthinkable ways. Our land must be carefully managed and protected for future generations and not parted with on the pretext of attracting investment. This requires collaboration between the government and the people and between the government and our traditional leaders.
President’s portrait on schoolbooks
When we rejected the one-party state, we rejected along with it, the idea of a leadership cult. The approval through silence of our head of state to having his portrait on the covers of our children’s schoolbooks is a reflection of the level of impunity with which many of the decisions that emanate from State House seem to be made. Appointing ministers who have election legitimacy cases pending before the courts, allowing a campaign to be run using the portrait of a man who may be disqualified from standing because he has served his time in office all point to a lack of respect for our judicial institutions and undermine our standing as a nation. The new minister of finance may well be qualified for the job but what message do we send when she has an election nullification case pending before the courts at a time when our financial stability as a nation and our ability to pay back our debts when they fall due has hardly been worse? These decisions are not made in the interests of the people. They are made only in the interests of the Party in power and its leaders – although not necessarily in that order.
National Airline
While the idea of a national airline is emotional and laudable, we have to ask ourselves: how has our parastatal sector performed over the years? We have failed to hold our parastatals accountable to standards of international best practice and while there are some that are doing their best to run their organisations efficiently, they are all subject to the sudden whims of an aggressive minister or president who will tend to interfere at will in the manner in which resources are applied or managed. Further, if we think that the solution lies in handing over management and part ownership to Ethiopian Airlines, we are badly mistaken. Consider, for example, what other management contracts are being operated by Ethiopian Airlines – are they running at a profit or a loss? Further, why would Ethiopian Airlines seek to make Zambia Airways profitable when it will in effect be competing with itself since it also provides flights to the same routes that will be offered by the new national airline that it will be managing? These ideas always seem good on paper but they end up being rather difficult to apply in practice.
Printing of ballots
The printing of ballots in Zambia will only make sense if all stakeholders are part and parcel of managing the whole system from beginning to end including: the manner in which the ballots are printed; the way the electoral system is operated; the collection and transmission of data. Full access must be given to two separate independent and internationally accredited technical teams that represent the PF on the one hand and the collective opposition on the other.
These teams must have full access to all the operations and electronic activities of the process from beginning to end.
The intention of local ballot printing may be a worthy one but anything worthy administered by an unworthy administration will nullify its worthiness.
Constitution
Finally, we come to the issue of the republican constitution.
We all recognize that the constitution has flaws that need to be tidied-up but this must not be a back-door attempt to resuscitate the failing career of a president that has outlived his welcome. Now let us be clear: no one is afraid of standing against President Lungu in an open and free election. Our issue is that we want to protect the constitution and not have it manipulated to suit the desires of an individual.
Conclusion
It has been eight years since we launched NAREP. We have seen our nation’s fortunes rise and fall. We have seen the hopes of millions dashed against the hard rocks of mediocrity, corruption, greed and neglect. We stand at a critical point in our history; poised to make a dramatic change for the better but only if we summon up the courage to rise up against the abnormal and call things what they are. If the PF were ready to fight corruption, mediocrity, greed and neglect with the same zeal and integrity they have shown in robbing the women and youth of our nation of their livelihoods, what a great nation Zambia would be. Then we would not be the headless nation that we seem to be fast becoming.
I thank you.
Elias C. Chipimo
President
National Restoration Party (NAREP)
Finally Chipimo is up from slumber! Mwashibukeni bro. I thought you had thrown in the towel. You have touched on important issues but they are too many. The hot one is land policy and Zodwa wa Bantu.
Lungu should come clean on a lot of things…his is definitely a failed presidency. Now this new Health Bill is a final nail on the poor
Elias … you know I love you man but you are the one who is currently using this article to try and resuscitate your dwindling political fortunes. You should have listened to me and done what we talked about in Atlanta.
Today your political star would have been rising and almost getting closer to beating Hakalusa Hagain but you did not listen, I followed up with another strategy when President Sata sent you to Brazil, you missed that too.
You said and I quote “The President is merely using this as a public relations stance to hold onto his slim chances of surviving the political storm that is brewing” End of quote. For the record ECL is living his dream and I support his empowerment strategy for Black Mountain.
B R Mumba Sr, could you also comment on the Lungu portraits on books and toilet paper being distributed in schools. I am sure you support the idea………..
BR Mumba JR Who cares whether you like him or not …why do you have to patronizing? When are you going to stop daydreaming…really laughable..you think Chipimo will swallow your make-believe drivel.
Take your meds!!
opposition writes so good, but when it comes to acting awee nibana mwelepete. extremely lazy intelligent opposition we have now.
Abena Obatala … I have no basis in fact neither do I understand the rationale behind these portraits. So, I can’t comment intelligently on something I don’t have full grasp of. I apologize if the answer is not satisfactory on your end.
Ka Jay Jay … I know you missed me!!! I have traveling … When a few days go by and I don’t post anything, I read some of your blogs just invoking my name so I can comment on something. For the record, I don’t want to get into more details here with you.
But Elias is a personal friend of mine and he fully understands what I mean ~ I don’t patronize anyone. He started well but his failure to yield to advise is what has made him lose traction. So, as much as I would like him to go forward and excel, he seems to have lost direction because he…
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So, as much as I would like him to go forward and excel, he seems to have lost direction because he wants to be president at all costs without figuring out how to.
For instance, how does he want to be called president of NAREP when no one elected him to that position. Which people does he represent since at local and national levels, he literary has no representation? No counselors, Ward Chairmen/Chairwomen, no MPs, etc.
Leadership comes from people, if no one has appointed you to represent them, unless you are a monarch you are in an essence a dictator. A lot of his ideas can actually benefit some people not all the people, he has no national appeal.
He lacks authority on anything, other than in the courts of law which is really his métier … he reminds me of…
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He lacks authority on anything, other than in the courts of law which is really his métier … he reminds me of the time I was Assistant Vice President at Citigroup in Dallas in charge of 300 employees. I saw a lot of his likes come along and when given even temporary assignments, they fumbled and always found someone else to blame.
When you listen to Elias, he gives you a sense of patriotism with a sense of urgency but he lack credibility because all the things he talks about, he is either a novice or just happens to have book knowledge with no operational capacity.
People have the ability to read through that very easily and not take one very seriously. The Elias’ type thrive when there seems to be chaos because they can talk but can’t walk their talk. He is not…
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He is not different from Boris Johnson, the man who led Brexit and once that happened he capitulated.
Now the entire UK is in a pigsty and yet Boris Johnson is no where near the Premiership to clean up the mess he created. Mrs. May has to take up the mantle and deal with his mare’s nest. Let’s look at a few things he has said.
His QZ comments have always been shallow … more of a follower than a leader. The difference between a leader and a follower is that leaders state their positions upfront while followers find a group think to identify themselves with.
Every time Elias talks about Zambia Airways, you can see that he is quoting some other source and if you run his speech through a plagiarism detector, you catch him in flagrante delicto (red handed) just…
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Every time Elias talks about Zambia Airways, you can see that he is quoting some other source and if you run his speech through a plagiarism detector, you catch him in flagrante delicto (red handed) just like you Jay Jay, I must add.
When he talks about bio-energy, he has never ran a bio-energy plant before and yet he wants to champion the idea with originality. Now he is talking TopStar because he thinks he can get more information from a disgruntled ex-minister … on Margaret, for instance, she was still Minister of Commerce with all the pending issues, what difference does it make when she is moved to Finance? The list is endless.
Just like Elias Senior, Junior is no different from his dad. He is a follower who finds his voice behind a strong leader to be…
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Just like Elias Chipimo Senior, Junior is no different from his dad. He is a follower who finds his voice behind a strong leader to be functional. His dad had KK, and he personally almost had King Cobra but unfortunately for him, King Cobra left us (MHSRIP).
So, as crude as this may be … the sooner, Elias realizes that his star shines brightest when around other brilliant stars, the sooner he becomes relevant otherwise, he better turn NAREP into an NGO for better functionality. In it’s current form, it’s not even a useful clown platform, we have UPND for that.
He also needs to realize that he does not have to be in opposition just for he sake of it … he can join the ruling party and contribute from within. Or better still, work with other opposition parties to…
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Or better still, work with other opposition parties to make them stronger so they call all speak with the same voice ~ he lacks gravitas on his own. I have endeavored to be as discrete as possible while giving my own opinion.
This is painful for me because I know Elias means well and wants to see the country go forward but he has serious blind spots that will always inhabit him from fully self-actualizing into a kind of politician he aspires to be.
I want him to succeed, I have a vested interest in seeing him succeed and he knows why I am saying this.
I rest my case your honor …
Ba Elias, stop embarrassing yourself. At least HH tries imwe kuwayawayafye riding on your father’s name. Sit down!
Obatala – There is no law that says you cannot put your portrait on toilet paper – just put yours there also if you have a problem with that.
EXCELLENT OBSERVATIONS ON TOPSTAR AND LAND MANAGEMENT…. BUT EMPOWERING ZAMBIANS WITH THE BLACK MOUNTAIN.. ECL HAS MY BACKING..
Empowering them with left-over bread crumbs…they make coins and go to the bar!!
Hibalwa,
Is this what you call empowerment? Where are the safety measures? Do you know how many people die there?
Do you also know how these same Jerabos terrorize people in Kitwe? Do you know how many women are raped on a daily basis?
There is no empowerment but campaign.
A once promising leader became like HH!
HH IS A SELF MADE BILLIONAIRE, GET OVER IT.
Am I the only one who is not inspired by this party? After 8 years of opposition, I still can’t see them getting beyond peer critique. Not quite sure if it’s because of their leader but I think a bit more charisma would do him no harm. It takes more to become a significant figure in politics than just making observations.
I think the name NAREP does not help….to the illiterate and semi illiterate this is a mouth full…
Not really. National restoration of what? “Democracy” could be the magic word they’re missing.
Ba Spaka the world is made up of different types of people. By calling your fellow human beings as illiterates, you’re actually demonstrating that if you formed government, people of low or no education would not be recognized as citizens. Therefore we illiterates will vote for our kind and we’re the majority.
HH will ousted by copper bullet if he happened to win presidential sit. Tongas / UPND loyalists can introduced Neo-hitlerism in Zambia taking advantage of his position as well as Anglo- American backing.Even if ECL is making blunders is much better than HH, in terms of administration policies. As it’s now, he has made his UPND zealots to be total extremists and political sadists in nature. HH is a propagandist and a skillful liar, who is standing on top of the mountain lying that Zambia is sold hoping citizens to riot.
Haters and revivalists like you are the ones who need to be shot with a copper bullet. You are more tribal than the ones you accuse of tribalism
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
The young man doesn’t understand the complexion of the issue. If not handled carefully the issue has the potential of starting wars in Kitwe. The thing should have been handled more than ten years ago when it started like a joke. Anyway having been educated at Oxford has made Elias not to understand common problems affecting the ordinary people.
Those of us brought up in Kitwe understand these issues better than Elias Chipimo who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His father, the respected Elias Chipimo Senior, belonged to the upper class of Zambian elite after independence. Some of us grew up in the gutters of Kitwe but somehow managed to get to the top after facing a lot of adversities along the way. Let Chipimo comment on issues he is more familiar with in Woodlands and Kabulonga.
He is just full of theories. His father resigned from politics because he wouldn’t face the reality. His own words ” I am going to the village because I cant stand the political nonsense of Lusaka” 2001.
This is why I have no time for parvenus like Chipimo with their fake Oxford accents commenting on issues they never experienced as kids when they spent all their formatives years kumayadi as some us eked a bare existence in Chamboli, Wusakili, Buchi, and Kwacha. I spent a lot of my childhood years during the school holidays – nde dudwila shilagi ku Malabo – at the slimes dam to the left of 16 feet and opposite the now contentious Black Mountain. Does anybody here even understand what I am talking about?
Facts. Please stick to the issue not otherwise. The fact that Chipimo enzo nkala kumayadi and was educated at Oxford does not mean that he cannot understand or relate to what average Zambians are going through. You are so wrong and full of malice. He is more exposed than you, his world view is richer in many ways. You even dare to say fake accent, actually, most Zambians speak fake English. If you do not want to speak like the natives do then speak your local languages. Most of you your English will not be understood here in Europe. I’m not joking umwana ashenda atasha nyina ukunaya. Zambians have embraced mediocrity in everything they do including speaking and writing correctly.
Facts you have used so many words expressing hate towards Chipimo but you haven’t stated how Chipimo is wrong. Where is Chipimo wrong? Oh should we conclude that you’re a Jerabo too. Thugs! Saw them Kitwe on Tuesday driving on both lanes of the two lane road. Blocking, and bullying on coming vehicles. What lawlessness!
Facts
You seem to have real anger and hate for the Ellit , some who did not chose to be born rich.
Councilling might help badala…
Facts, people will criticize what you have said not because you’re wrong but because you are right. What they wanted was for the president to the opposite and they were going to the Jarabos and incite riots. But they have fished dry fish.
I feel you @ 9 Facts. I perfectly understand you.
Bringing up of chipimo has nothing to do with it. Just that issues he is raising are of now and the future, so deep so that for most u cadres u cant understand. Ur part of the same criminals in leadership wanting to get rich fast, at any price, at the expense of everyone else. Its like monkeys in maize field, maximum havoc before the owner shows up!
If you didn’t know the political scenario in Zambia, you would be wondering why Chipimo is not president of Zambia because this article is deep. Really?? Then you wonder, why doesn’t NAREP even have councillors?? Beacause these Zambian parties are personal egotistic organisations that have nothing to offer the common man. Elias has failed to connect with the masses on the the grassroots. His utopian and childish theories can’t hold in the political realities in the grassroots. Prove yourself first, then we shall listen.
Chipimo does not connect with the grassroots because they are at different levels. Chipimo is in the present. The grassroots are in a stone age. The times when people sold their children and their inheritance for a bottle of whiskey.
Large parcels of land are being given away for a small bribe and people can’t even look in the future to see the consequences of this.
@Prokonso: what are you on about??? Grassroots in stone age??? How do you expect to call yourself a leader if people don’t choose you??? A leader on LT or facebook but the masses in Kanyama, Bauleni; Lubuto etc don’t know you???
This boy confessed recently that he benefited from Hichilema’s kleptomaniac escapades, now he doesn’t want others to benefit from the remains of the self of mines? That mountain didn’t have an owner, even Nkana Alloys got it dubiously
crumbs of bread indeed; you can remove a black man from slam but you can not remove the slam mindedness from him – this theory is now being confirmed into LAW OF LIFE by PF!
Paipa pano…..kekekekekeke…..narep has spent 8 yrs in opposition without a single MP or councillor and Chipimo still dreams that ECL gave black mountain to jerabos to gain his lost support?Zambian opposition parties are indeed useless!!
Can anybody in Zambia today say that THE WIND OF CHANGE IS BLOWING LIKE IT WAS IN 1990 AND 2011?DOES CHIPIMO LIVE IN ZAMBIA?kekekekeke amazing!!
In 1990 and 2011,it was clear that Zambians wanted Govnt change and not today!!IF ELECTIONS WERE HELD TODAY,CHIPIMO GET EVEN GET ONE COUNCILLOR!!
ECL has done very well by giving jerabos the black mountain-period!!
Well, Elias Chipimo is back in the game of Zambian politics. He woke up from a long slumber and is actually now talking sense
“No one has listened to us, but you will listen to us now … You have failed to contain Russia.” -Russian President
President Putin has unveiled a nuclear weapon which he claims can reach anywhere in the world and cannot be stopped by defense systems.
These are the people our govt wants to set up a nuclear power station with….really sad!!
A White Mountain of Observations, with no Action, will take this country nowhere.
Zambia is producing more of Armchair critics than pragmatic people who can show direction towards solving identified problems.
Zambia is in dire need of Functional and Transformational Leadership to address current problems and future challenges in our country.
We are all agreeable that we need change in Zambia. If you want change, become that change, you would like to see, so the saying goes.
Identification and counting of problems, is one thing. Prioritization of and providing leadership to solve problems, is another.
The biggest threat and enemy in Zambia is the Zambian Intelligence, also infamously known as the Office of the President (OP).
OP is at the core of the Undermining of Democracy…
chipimo this time sunapime bwino its only pf government which has done wonders in terms of infrastructure development please you are still young don’t exhibit the spirit of mapatizya here
The only thing that stood out for me in Chipimo’s statement is his mention of the disgusting personality cult that has resurfaced in Zambia. Everything is being done by the President and none of his cabinet ministets are doing anything or even thinking anything. One gets the impression that the ministers wait for instructions to jump, walk or even wash their hands.
But you will notice that it is exactly the same if not worse in upndeez, where the personality cult around h.h is stronger. If anything this is one area where PF seems to have learnt from upndeez.
Which is what I keep saying that clearly upndeez is not the option we want for Zambia, neither h.h! A credible option to PF is yet to be born in Zambia, not this pathetic “party” called upndeez! NDC you say? Another load of…
….Which is what I keep saying that clearly upndeez is not the option we want for Zambia, neither h.h! A credible option to PF is yet to be born in Zambia, not this pathetic “party” called upndeez! NDC you say? Another load of fattened rubbish!
I am waiting for GBM to take over power! I am sure he will be welcome and accepted by all! Kekekeke.