By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –
THE National Paralympics Committee (NPC) board has bowed to intense pressure from affiliates to have Jonathan Chipalo removed from office.
Chipalo, who is former Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA) national coach, was co-opted into the NPC last year by current president Sara Brotherton without following the provisions of the constitution.
The NPC had been engulfed in wrangles over Chipalo’s appointment with the affiliates petitioning Sports Minister Vincent Mwale to intervene on the matter.
According to the NPC constitution, only a representative from the Paralympics Athletics Council is eligible for the position of athletics coordinator.
Chipalo fell short of this requirement as he had not served in any portfolio in the Paralympics body.
Chipalo was also made signatory to the NPC bank accounts contrary to the constitution that only empowers the president, vice president, general secretary and treasurer to do so.
NPC general secretary Mary Chileshe said yesterday that Chipalo has since been served with a notification letter.
“Mr Chipalo is no longer with us, we wrote to him on April 27 that his services are not required and we have since notified Stanbic Bank to have him removed from the signatories to our account,” Chileshe said.
Chileshe said the NPC board was currently looking forward for an eligible candidate to fill the vacancy.
“At the moment, we are trying to resuscitate the athletics council from where we can draw a suitable person to take up that position and I am happy that calm has returned to the NPC, now we can start implementing the programmes with one goal,” she said.