National News

Umodzi Party rocked

Chisi: I have the right to use the name
Chisi: I have the right to use the name

A tug of war has erupted between the newly launched Umodzi Party and a nongovernmental organisation, Umodzi Found-ation, over the use of the name Umodzi. The NGO is accusing the party of embracing the name fraudulently. While the foundation’s chief executive officer Samuel Magombo claims there is no link between the political party and the charitable organisation, founder of the party, Professor John Chisi, says the NGO’s ideologies lie at the heart of the party because he was one of the founding board members of the charity.

Magombo said the foundation does not work with people who run political parties because it is a humanitarian development organisation that operates on the principle of independence from partisan politics. “Anyone associating our organisation with a political party would be doing so fraudulently and the public needs to steer clear of such tricksters.

“Should any other individuals attempt to use our organisation’s name for partisan political gains, Umodzi Foundation Limited shall not hesitate one moment, to vigorously and with unflinching passion prevent the same from happening,” said Magombo. But Chisi said he was one of the founding board members and the main financier of the foundation, arguing that this gives him the right to use the name Umodzi. “I have been the main financier of Umodzi Foundation and I have spent over K10 million of my personal money financing the charitable work the organisation has been carrying out,” he said. Chisi claimed that he and Magombo fell out over issues of money, hence the CEO’s arguments against the use of the name. Renowned civil society activist Rafik Hajat said the two organisations can exist side by side if they spell out their mandates.

“The foundation is likely to suffer in this case because no donor can fund an institution that started as a civil society organisation and turned itself into a political party,” he said. The current board members of the foundation are Gift Makanje, Dr Tikhala Chibwana, Dr Levi Chiwaula, Reverend Max Jawati, Lesley Mpemba, Gift Soko, Collin Chistime, George Macheka, Collins Phiri and Lovemore Kambani.n

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One Comment

  1. Where are the women on the board? Rex, you should have hammered these male chauvinists on this point.

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