Thu, 19 Jan 2017 13:20:43 +0000
By Aaron Chiyanzo
GEOFREY Bwalya Mwamba is a frustrated soul who is trying to heal from the defeat the UPND suffered at the hands of the Patriotic Front (PF) in the 2016 general elections by resorting to slandering and maligning others, Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya has charged.
Ms Siliya said Mr Mwamba was of the miscued belief that defaming others was the best way of attracting sympathy from Zambians after his desire to be the country’s vice-president was rejected by Zambians through the ballot.
She said that Mr Mwamba, who is the UPND vice-president for administration, was frustrated and trying to comfort himself over the election loss by irresponsibly attacking innocent people.
Ms Siliya was reacting to Mr Mwamba’s claims that the Agriculture Minister was not fit to hold her office and should, therefore, go back to the newsroom where she came from.
Ms Siliya said that she was appointed to her position by President Edgar Lungu whom she said represented the majority Zambians because he believed in her abilities.
Ms Siliya indicated that her loyalty only lies with President Lungu and the Zambian people and not Mr Mwamba whom she described as a man with an ego.
“Mr Mwamba is a frustrated soul trying to heal from the defeat the UPND suffered at the hands of the PF in the last general elections. If it will help him heal since the UPND loss to PF, he can continue talking about me. However, I was appointed by a President who believes in my capacity and who represents the majority of Zambians. That is where my loyalty lies,” Ms Siliya said.
Ms Siliya said that her history indicated that she came from the newsroom as a journalist but wondered whether Mr Mwamba had any form of background.
She said that Mr Mwamba’s sentiment about her career path also implied that the newsroom was a shameful place for one to come from.
“So GBM can continue to talk about me if he wishes and if it makes him feel better. At least I have been to a newsroom but I don’t know where he has been,” said Ms Siliya.
And Ms Siliya said that she had important things to actualise other than talking about Mr Mwamba whom she said was bitter that his political ambitions had been dashed by the PF’s continued stay in power.
She said that her job was to meet the aspirations of the Zambian people and ensuring that the country was food secure.
