Dora Siliya Expresses Concern Over Mr Mboweni’s Remarks About Zambia

Zambia’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Hon. Dora Siliya expressed concern that Mr. Mboweni has repeatedly ignored diplomatic etiquette and embarked on tarnishing the image of Zambia.

She said despite being publicly censured by His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa over his negative remarks about Zambia last August 2020, Mr. Mboweni has ignored this censure from his superior.

She said Mr. Mboweni’s recent attacks on Zambia where he struggled to paint a gloomy picture of the country, were pedestrian and undiplomatic to his own country and its leadership.She said his earlier remarks about the Kenneth Kaunda Internal Airport were out of place.

She said Mboweni was recently censured for criticizing the replacement of Zambia’s Central Bank Governor.She said while Zambia used to receive South African Airways four times a day, the Airline had sunk under Mr. Mboweni’s watch.She said she was shocked when Mboweni, in his analysis stated that Zambia was finding it hard to sell its copper, when the commodity was enjoying its highest prices and demand in decades.

She said Zambia was on course to recover economically, with its major hurdle of energy deficiency resolved, following the Completion of the Kariba Lower 750 Mega Watts project.She said despite the difficulties that the country faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, Zambian government had provided stimulus packages to safeguard businesses.

She said Zambia was enjoying confidence and support from both Cooperating Partners and the Zambian people.She said therefore, whatever personal crisis that Mr. Mboweni faces, he should not jeopardize the warm and wonderful cordial bilateral and trade relations the two countries enjoy.

She expressed hope that Mboweni, will once again be censured for his undiplomatic conduct.