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Jimmy Kumwenda, popularly known as Pastor Jimmy Kay, has been sued by a Lusaka businessman who claims he financed the 2025 Fally Ipupa concerts but was later excluded from the venture and denied his share of the proceeds.
Together with Kitwe businessman Isaac Ilunga, also known as Mr Powder, Kumwenda is being sued by Enock Mashilipa, who is seeking a refund of US$20,000, reimbursement of additional funds he allegedly invested in the concerts, K10 million as his share of the profits, as well as interest and costs.
According to a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, Mashilipa alleges that Kumwenda travelled to Chambeshi in February 2025 with another man identified as Mr Soko to seek financial backing for two concerts featuring Congolese rhumba star Fally Ipupa.
Read more: Fally Ipupa arrives Zambia for TAME
Mashilipa claims Kumwenda urgently required US$20,000 to pay Mad Mad Productions, the musician’s promoters, to secure performance dates for May 24, 2025, at Ciela Resort and May 25, 2025, at the Polo Grounds in Lusaka.
He alleged Kumwenda assured him that Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) would sponsor the concerts once proof of payment of the deposit and confirmation that the performance dates had been secured were submitted to the mining company.
Mashilipa said Kumwenda showed him a contract dated January 27, 2025, together with correspondence exchanged with the promoters, after which they verbally agreed that if he financed the initial deposit, they would share equally in the profits from ticket sales and vendor fees.
To safeguard his investment in the absence of a written agreement, Mashilipa says he insisted on transferring the US$20,000 directly from his personal bank account to the promoters instead of handing the money to Kumwenda.
“The plaintiff avers that had it not been for him making the initial payment of US$20,000 to the promoters, the two shows would not have taken place,” the statement of claim reads.
Following the payment, Mashilipa said Kumwenda created a WhatsApp group called “T.Q.M.E Financers”, to which he was added alongside other individuals involved in organising the concerts branded “The African Music Experience”.
He said he actively participated in planning discussions through the group and believed the arrangements were being conducted transparently, making a formal written agreement appear unnecessary.
However, Mashilipa alleged that, without informing him, Kumwenda later entered into another agreement with Ilunga under which they agreed to share the profits equally.
He further claimed that Patrick Kabaso, whom he identifies as Ilunga’s agent, was subsequently added to the WhatsApp group and placed in charge of ticket sales for both concerts.
Mashilipa said he also spent more than K30,000 on logistics, most of which he allegedly transferred to Kumwenda through mobile money.
He further claimed that despite being one of the financiers, he was required to buy tickets for himself, his wife, family and friends to attend the concert at Ciela Resort.
Mashilipa said the experience was both shocking and humiliating because he expected to attend as one of the event’s founders but was instead treated like an ordinary patron.
He alleged that after the concerts, he demanded an account of the proceeds and his share of the profits, but Kabaso exited the WhatsApp group before Kumwenda allegedly removed him from the group and blocked all his mobile phone numbers.
According to the claim, Ilunga later contacted him and said he had been unaware that Mashilipa had also financed the concerts because he believed he was the sole sponsor. Mashilipa said Ilunga promised to engage Kumwenda to facilitate a refund of his investment and consideration of his entitlement to a share of the profits.
Mashilipa estimated that the Ciela Resort concert was projected to generate at least K17 million, while the Polo Grounds concert was expected to raise approximately K19.63 million from ticket sales alone, excluding revenue from food and beverage vendors.
He alleged that the defendants later claimed the concerts had made a loss and consequently refused to refund his investment or pay him any share of the proceeds.
Mashilipa is asking the High Court to order Kumwenda and Ilunga to refund the US$20,000, reimburse his additional investment, pay him K10 million as his share of the profits, together with interest and costs.
The defendants have not yet filed their defence.
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