Maravi

Chikwelete sorry
By Roy Habaalu
Sat 02 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT

ROBERT Chikwelete has apologised to PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba for his offending conduct towards him.

According to a letter of apology dated October 31, 2013, Chikwelete further apologised to Vice-President Dr Guy Scott for denouncing, insulting and humiliating the duo.

"Re: Apology for offending the party. I refer to the above matter and would like to apologise to you sir, as secretary general of our party, Patriotic Front, for the offending conduct towards the senior leaders of our party especially yourself as the secretary general and the Vice-President of our party Dr Guy Scott and other genuine members of the party who were offended by my conduct, I ask for forgiveness," read Chikwelete's letter in part.

And Kabimba said he had accepted Chikwelete's apology because he was convinced it was in good faith.

He said he had no doubt in his mind that Chikwelete, the suspended PF Chawama constituency chairman, was sorry and that he regretted his actions.

"I told him I had accepted his apology because I myself remember very well Chikwelete's contribution to the party and therefore I thought he could still be useful as a member of the party and that those demonstrations against me would not be the way of him developing his career in the party for the future," Kabimba said.

"I also told him that I did not see how anybody would give him credit as a member of the party for leading those demonstrations by way of addressing his grievances. The meeting was very cordial and I have no doubt in my mind that the man was sorry and contrite and he had regretted his actions."

He said two days before the Lusaka demonstrations, he had phoned Chikwelete to discuss his grievances and those of others.

Kabimba said he sought a meeting with Chikwelete so that he could hear him out, to which he agreed.

"I was therefore surprised and disappointed that instead of coming to see me on the appointed day he (Chikwelete) decided to get involved into those demonstrations," he said.

Kabimba said Chikwelete told him that he was a troubled person and that his conscience was not free because he saw that there was nothing wrong that he had done against him personally or to the party.

He said Chikwelete complained that he had been let down by not being given a job despite promises by President Michael Sata to him personally.

"He went further to say one of the first promises was that he would be sent into the foreign service, when that didn't work out he was promised that he would be appointed district commissioner for Chitambo district. To his disappointment, neither of them materialised. He also claimed that he was disappointed and not happy with the provincial and district committees and he thought that the two committees were being protected by the secretary general and for that reason he decided that him and his colleagues should rise against the secretary general in order to get rid of Lusaka Province and district officials," Kabimba said.

He said Chikwelete told him that senior members of the party were financing the demonstrations and named them.

But when asked to reveal the names, Kabimba said it was not necessary to do so.
"We want to put this behind us and move our party forward," he said.
"...The gist of his apology was that he had recognised that I had worked very well with him as a councillor until he became (Lusaka) mayor. He praised my contribution to the party since I became secretary general so he wanted to make amends so that we continue working together."

Kabimba said the meeting where Chikwelete apologised was sought through his lawyer Robson Malipenga.

He said Malipenga phoned him that Chikwelete wanted to personally apologise over the demonstrations against him which he led in Lusaka.

Kabimba said he was initially reluctant to meet Chikwelete but because the request came from his lawyer and his personal friend, he accepted because he did not want to appear to be harbouring a grudge against Chikwelete.

"I decided I would meet Robert Chikwelete in the presence of Robson Malipenga hence our meeting held on 21st October, 2013. In the meeting there was Robson Malipenga and myself," said Kabimba.

Labels: GUY SCOTT, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 7:49 PM