. Chipimo

By JAMES KUNDA –
NATIONAL Restoration Party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo Jr has suspended his presidential campaigns to be with his father who is admitted to a cancer hospital in South Africa.
Mr Chipimo has, however, said he would still contest the January 20 election and that his time away should not be seen as a sign of endorsing another candidate.
He said in a statement yesterday that three weeks ago, his father Elias Chipimo Snr, 83, was diagnosed with stomach cancer, which had spread.
“In the nine days of the campaign period remaining, I have chosen to make an important decision – to temporarily suspend my campaigns in order to spend time with my father,” Mr Chipimo said.
“Just over three weeks ago, dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer and given his age and the extent to which the cancer appears to have spread, the prognosis does not look promising, he needs his family around him now.”
Mr Chipimo did not know how much time he would spend in South Africa but wanted to be there along with his siblings on the father’s bed side.
He called on NAREP supporters countrywide to continue with the campaigns in his absence and ensure that peace prevailed wherever they took his political message across the country.
“We are entering the final phase of the presidential by-election and the stakes for our country remain as high as ever. My dedication to the journey we started nearly five years ago is as firm as ever with the zeal to continue spreading our message of hope and economic freedom for every Zambian,” Mr Chipimo said.
He has since pledged to bring something fresh to the electorate once voted into office by exhibiting politics of ideas and solutions.
Mr Chipimo is among the 11 candidates contesting the presidency in a race that also pits Patriotic Front’s Edgar Lungu, Hakainde Hichilema on the UPND ticket, FDD’s Edith Nawakwi, Tilyenji Kaunda (UNIP), Nevers Mumba (MMD), Eric Chanda (4th Revolution) and Ludwig Sondashi as FDA candidate.
Others are Heritage Party’s Godfrey Miyanda, Peter Sinkamba of the Green Party and Christian Democratic Party leader Danny Pule.