0 0 5 , ▁Ch aku amba ▁was ▁made ▁Minister ▁of ▁Agricult ure . ▁ ▁He ▁left ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Progress ive ▁Party ▁( DP P ), ▁which ▁was ▁created ▁by ▁M uth ar ika ▁following ▁his ▁decision ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁U DF ▁in ▁February , ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁inter im ▁first ▁vice - pres ident ▁of ▁the ▁party . ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁removed ▁from ▁his ▁post ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Agricult ure , ▁and , ▁days ▁later , ▁det ained ▁for ▁question ing ▁over ▁a ▁speech ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁predicted ▁that ▁President ▁M uth ar ika ▁would ▁be ▁out ▁of ▁office ▁by ▁Christmas . ▁ ▁Ch aku amba ▁subsequently ▁left ▁the ▁D PP ▁and ▁formed ▁the ▁New ▁Republican ▁Party ▁( NR P ). ▁Following ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁M uth ar ika ' s ▁wife ▁Eth el ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Ch aku amba ▁critic ized ▁M uth ar ika ▁for ▁failing ▁to ▁inform ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁her ▁ill ness . ▁He ▁initially ▁back ed ▁Mul u zi , ▁who ▁attempted ▁to ▁run ▁again ▁as ▁the ▁U DF ▁candidate , ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁president ial ▁election . ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁while ▁address ing ▁a ▁U DF ▁r ally ▁along ▁with ▁Mul u zi , ▁Ch aku amba ▁called ▁for ▁Tem bo , ▁the ▁M CP ▁leader , ▁to ▁stand ▁as ▁Mul u zi ' s ▁running - mate