A war of words has erupted on Twitter between Information Minister Dora Siliya and British High Commissioner Fergus Cochrane-Dyet with Ms. Siliya accusing the UK envoy of undiplomatic conduct.
Ms Siliya took to Twitter to castigate Mr Cochrane-Dyet after the Diplomat described Ms. Siliya as a Minister of Misinformation.
Ms Siliya had earlier Insinuated that the UK envoy has a lot of time to Tweet because apparently many diplomats have idle time.
“I do not follow the British Envoy on Twitter though many have called to day to say he is very active tweeting about our Country. Being a former diplomat myself I am aware that many diplomats have a lot of idle time. Government’s position on FIC is supported by Law not emotion,” Ms Siliya tweeted.
But Mr Cochrane-Dyet quickly responded accusing Ms. Siliya of being Minister of (Mis)Information and always intended to cause trouble.
“Thank you Hon. Minister! Scurrilous misinformation intended to whip up trouble. UK fully supportive of #Zambia Govt incl its welcome measures tackling debt. In my role I am proud to champion democratic principles while flagging dangers of authoritarianism & corruption,” he Tweeted.
The spat follows Ms. Siliya’s advice to Ms. Siliya to use diplomatic channels if he had any concerns on the governance of the country.
On Tuesday, Cochrane-Dyet led a delegation of EU Ambassadors to meet Financial Intelligence Centre Director General Mary Chirwa-Tshuma, at the FIC offices in Kabulonga, Lusaka.
The meeting came shortly after the FIC Director General met President Edgar Lungu.
Zambia recently removed diplomatic status of Cuban Ambassador to Zambia Nelson Pages Vilas, who graced and spoke at the launch of the Socialist Party in Zambia.
Since his appointment to Zambia, Fergus Cochrane-Dyet has tweeted strong remarks condemning government and its officials on alleged acts corruption, political violence and bad governance.
He tweeted;
*”Admire work of #Zambia Financial Intelligence Centre. Met DG Mrs Tshuma with EU colleagues to discuss alarming 2017 trends report. #fightcorruption https://t.co/LZI2CBELpg”*
Answering to critics who have accused him of uttering undiplomatic remarks against the Zambian government, he said even the Queen was regularly insulted in the press.
*”Anyone in UK is free to criticise/insult the Queen – remember satirical Splitting Image show? Outlawing criticism of political leaders itself undemocratic.”*
Last week he criticised President Edgar Lungu calling his government authoritarian and corrupt.
He tweeted;
*”Authoritarianism can work (e.g. Singapore) with benevolent leaders, but these rare as hen’s teeth. More likely, in Zambia as elsewhere, to mean corrupt dictatorship” https://t.co/AOWQA6B3ZH*
Following the release of the Financial Intelligence Centre, 2017 Trends Report, Cochrane-Dyet said it was likely that government would not take the report seriously and that the political elite would likely close ranks.
He tweeted:
*”Essential #Zambian Govt takes Financial Intelligence Centre allegations seriously?. Evidence of serious corruption. Risk that political elite close ranks to hide their complicity? https://t.co/4jv4ETz84N*
After the Chilanga by-election, the British High Commissioner tweeted that voters in Chilanga were scared to cast their votes and most of them were savagely beaten.
Dora is a silly young lady who is really a a Minister of Misinformation; i told this young lady to keep her mouth shut but but she wants to continue a losing battle; who does not know her from her uni days? after MMD lost she was in dire need and today she wants to fight the UK High Commissioner which is fighting the UK govt; Nothing wrong with what the Commissioner said about Zambia; if PF deports the Commissioner, we will campaign against the corrupt Dora and others from entering the UK; it is Zambia to lose and not the the UK;
I really wonder what would happen if the Zambian or Nigerian or Kenyan High Commissioners started to tweet about British affairs of calling Boris Johnson all sorts of names….
Stup.id British. Brexit his a.ss from Zambia!
The British government would usually respond to criticism from other countries by presenting their side of the story when deemed necessary but NEVER by threatening. Threats are traits of dictatorships.
…sorry, British affairs OR calling….
When the Zambian people are sleeping(for whatever reason – dictatorship, corruption, authoritarian, non-functional institutions of governance, etc), any helping hand is welcome! It is in this line of thought that I welcome Commissioner Fergus contribution.
They are in love, leave them, it’s romantic fight.
This ***** from Britain should start talking such crap to the other one across the Atlantic detaining toddlers.
That is authoritatrian.
Zambians are a danger to themselves. Such commentaries from outside voices is welcome. These politicians need to be leashed, they dont mean well. Trump was right about sh!thole countries…
Zambian Citizen – Its clear you have never traveled outside of Zambia before for you to wonder maybe the furthermost you have gone is Mpulungu or Chirundu border posts as your ignorance is mind blowing!!
Cochrane-Dyre is tired of Africa. He wants to be sacked again. He has already forgotten Malawi.
And who says the British government cannot be fought? Zambian inferiority complex. Like VJ againsy all odds when the British imposed visa requirements VJ as foreign affairs Minister adviser GRZ to demand visas for Britons entering Zambia. Same inderior zambians screamed murder because Britain blah blah what has happened? Nothing, the Brits need visa to enter Z and its a requirement.
Chakolwa Lungu ayopa chaani?
Twitter is now the latest weapon of choice for offering checks and balance regarding the misinformation breaches of freedoms and the rights by a repressive regime.
To the British high commissioner I say thank you for exposing this PF gang of thieves stealing from the poor Zambians.
The british high commissioner has every right to meddle in the affairs of Zambia when its his country tax payers who foot the donor bill that Lungu and his gang of thieves are busy stealing.
Watch a youtube video “lungu and kaiser are thieves”
The poor they think the British government does not surport them enough when in fact each pound the British sents to Zambia is pocketed by this PF gang of thieves .
Lungu must go.
How true! Dora is certainly the Minister of Misinformation. What is this ministry for anyway? It should be abolished. This and religious affairs are ministries found only in dictatorships not in democracy
It’s really unbecoming that the British High commissioner should be engaging Dora on Twitter and commenting about Chilanga. We all know violence in elections is not down to PF but all political players. I feel he should be championing the Dialogue that will promote tolerance amongst all political parties. The high commissioner has all the power to engage grz at all levels face to face just like he did with Mary Tshuma. FIC is not an “independent” body but a body created by the people of Zambia through their parliament.
He was commenting about Chilanga as he was an International Observer….do you not know how International Observers have had it hard after the Kenyan elections which they certified as peaceful only to be nullified by Supreme court…what do you want him to engage the govt on behind closed doors..when its obvious what everyone wants the govt to do ..you don’t even know how FIC was created and who assisted…you state that its created by the people of Zambia yet you are the same dingbats who state that the people should not be privy to its findings.
…1.D.I.OT!! FIC is an act of parliament!!
Any useless politician should should be called out, this one doesn’t deserve to be in our government but not even the president deserves his job Zambia is becoming a joke.
Sadly that’s your opinion and the majority of Zambians who vote don’t share your opinion!!
Unfortunately there is no leadership …Lazy has not come out and said anything he is cowering from issues as usual waiting for the next flight on Flight 9J-ONE
Because the majority doesn’t know the connection between the vote it casts and the socioeconomic challenges it faces
The majority is politically astute but economically ignorant. Sadly so, if I may add.
Can any Zambian go to UK and pass such comments and British government and its people clap for you? We can’t allow to be insulted just because he is white if not pigs colour and he comes from UK. I will be disappointed if this monister is allowed to continue being in this country. Let him go back to the UK and insult his queen. Deport the idioooot
Any one can come to the UK and criticise the government and they will respond with facts not threats ……..only the guilty are afraid.
Facts are the “panga for panga” was a upnd battle cry and not PF. All parties are responsible for violence. Fergie shouldn’t echo the accusations of fake media which puts the PF behind the violence but should champion all parties sitting and dialoguing to find lasting solutions. Creating Twitter wars with grz officials is below the belt and shows him to be unprofessional.
You people talking about the UK don’t know how democratic the UK is, here anyone can say anything, you can protest, you can challenge the authorities and sometimes I say the things we say and do in this country especially us people of colour e.g Africans, Asians……. I ask myself can our leaders tolerate such if it were in our countries? In Zambia you cannot even protest or say something about the president or you risk the wrath of the PF cadres or end up in jail. If you want to experience freedom of speech, freedom to protest and real democracy come to the UK so the people who are saying you can’t say anything in the UK you lie.
Anyone who feed themselves: annual budget not met thru donations can thumb their nose at virtually any one.
You lose your independence and dignity when you, in part or in whole, depend on somebody else’s mercies.you are essentially a beggar and have no choice but to take it up your behind in silence.
Message is: Clean up your sh.it!
Look at the quality of our leaders. Look at her looks; her yellow wig, her dress with slits and her painted face: Just looking at this kind of creature with such loud features, I can’t even hear what she is talking about. She is in her own class quite far from mine. KK had leadership code. Imagine British PM or Germany leader in outrageous wigs and dresses! Could they be trusted or respected?
….the colonised mind is skewed to look down upon amything African and praise all that is white and European. How sad….
Citizen
Is siliyas yellow wig and dressing African ?
You are a hopeless case Daissy! And so are the rest of you siding the British High Commissioner. When will we as Zambian as well ss black people stand up for ourselves. There is a diplomatic code of conduct and the British envoy has stepped over the line. Whether you support the current government or not this is unacceptable talk from this Brit for the main fact he is a Diplomat. Shame on you Zambians that support him.
Dora just ignore him for now. He will hang himself with his own rope soon.
@Daissy I thought the same thing. She’s ‘fighting’ with a European at the same time trying hard to look European. With the yellow (or it gold or blond?) wig, bleached skin, excessive lip stick. Quite embarrassing. If only they heard how white people laugh at us they would stop wasting money on this stuff. Europeans shouldn’t tell us what to do or how to be but you shamelessly imitate them. No wonder they have no respect for us.
Wally as you name says it all…when you start paying for yourselves and stop begging.
She looks like a grizzly bear.
We need to expel the fooool sooner or later. He must go and leave our country. If he was expelled from Malawi he must be expelled from ZAMBIA too before the day ends.
If can not accept criticisim don’t accept their aid money they give you…
Malawi is a small country but its citizens are not brainwashed to think our colonial masters’ decendants are more intelligent than us. Send the unhonoutable back home. Britain wilm send us another one id they are serious.
@Daissy
If you have nothing to say shut up.
@Denkede; you sound like a young man who does not know what Zambia has gone through since 1964; Lungu’s administration is the worse Zambia has ever had; Dora is just good as a broadcaster and she is immature a government spokesperson; Your PF will not be there forever; when PF is out; you and Dora will try and run to UK for fear of prosecution; but time will come for people like Dora; let her buck today;
….if Dora had chosen upnd over Lungu’s admin, she would be a voice for “dissenting views” and getting headlines in ZWD, mast and diggerz. Just like Mutati in 2015. We know your tactic KK Airport, you have been using it since Sata came to power. It’s quite stale and irritating noe, I think Chilanga and the ward elections proved that!!
Malawi is a small country but its citizens are not brainwashed to think our colonial masters’ decendants are more intelligent than us. Send the unhonoutable back home. Britain wilm send us another one id they are serious. RUN TO UK WHY? WHY UK?
I can imagine that the very victims of corruption will be closing ranks with the perpetrators to attack comments meant to bring about expeditious resolution to the FIC trends report. It is about time we also extrapolated to auditor general reports that are in and of themselves even more grievously serious than this FIC report! Wake up sheeple!
do not wash your dirty linen in public
when I say that Lungu’s administration is the worse Zambia has ever know; i am talking of a democratic Zambia;Lungu wants to take us back to a one party state; but he will fail;
…and Zambians in Chilanga, Western, N/Western and the rest of the country still voted for ” the worst admin” ??? Really?? Try a mental evaluation or a man of God to exorcise those demons of hate, bitterness and confusion…
Nevermind Zambia Citi… this man is thick as porridge!!
This cockroach diet idi0t needs to be tamed otherwise he will quickly follow Villas Pages route of being expelled and to him expulsion will not be new since we are told he was expelled sometime back from Malawi just next door here for unbecoming behavior.
The diplomat is the one who is whipping up trouble. His approach is confrontational. He has diplomatic channels to grill government, but he chooses to be sensational…certainly not what one would call diplomacy by a supposedly civilised diplomat.
@Zambian Citizen; yes; PF is worse and won by fraud; for KK we voted for him because we did not want to vote for a frog; were you old to know this? i don’t hate Lungu; I have his violence and corruption and dictatorship; i don’t don’t need your fake man of God who use witchcraft charms; there are no no demons here; just common sense; may be there are demons of defending the corrupt, violet etc;
….you need help and prayer, my friend!!!
Pray for Lungu and PF; they need help and those prayers than me;
I think the prayers for PFs have worked and they are celebrating. They are conquering new frontiers like Chilanga. You should be panicking.
@KK Airport Cabinet
You sound unreasonable, irrational and talking in an irritating manner. Do you understand the acceptable system of international courtesy? Probably you do not except how to write good English, right?
I find it so funny how people make this into a racist attack on the British High Commissioner. He is only doing his job and expressing what he is entitled to. I actually prefer people calling out the Government officials on Corruption and Negligence. Why would anyone like corrupt govt. officials?
The people that feel Dora Siliya has a point, are indeed mislead. The International Community have every right to criticize GRZ as the international community pump a lot of money into Zambia. How can they sit back and watch the money meant to improve the country being stolen by GRZ Officials.
No one on this forum can say to deport foreign diplomats for speaking out. They are protecting the interests of the people. They have nothing to lose by not donating to Zambia. Zambia requires the…
He has every right to criticise Government. There is no question about that. But not on twitter. That’s why he is stationed in Lusaka. To walk into Ministers’ offices and State House and iron out issues. As it is, he is only a shoulder for the opposition to cry on and not a diplomat.
@KKAirportCabinet “You sound unreasonable, irrational and talking in an irritating manner. Do you understand the acceptable system of international courtesy?” I think you are the one who does not understand courtesy. When the like of you begin to defend the indefensible it means your regime has been blown to pieces. A report like the FIC Report is a scandal and will surely see you lot go soon. Wake up and smell the coffee.
@Denkede @KK Airport Cabinet
My apologies to the latter. Actually meant the former. Denkede in this case.
In a civilised society people accept criticism and different opinions. There’s something seriously wrong with those of us who cannot see that the FIC report and previous auditor general’s reports have revealed rampant theft and corruption in our government. The UK ambassador has a right to contribute to debates about our democracy because he’s an interested party. You can also openly criticise the UK government if you find a wrong in them and they won’t threaten you with deportation. Equally, there’s nothing colonial about the ambassador’s comments. Let’s learn to stand for what is right without blaming our colonial past for our own failures.
Most politicians in Zambia who are currently in government feel they are very special people and nobody should say anything bad about them. They feel they are so intelligent that no one should question their decisions no matter rotten those decisions are. Siliya advised Mr Cochrane-Dyet to use diplomatic channels if he had any concerns on the governance of the country, equally if Siliya has concerns on the behaviour of the diplomat, she should not be tweeting back on twitter but follow the right channel of communication, and she should know this as a former diplomat herself. She accused the UK envoy of having idle time for tweeting and yet she is doing exactly the same thing – tweeting.
Cochrane-Dyet has more experience as a diplomat than Siliya and has been a diplomat since 2007 in 9…
Hon. Dora Siliya is an accomplished journalist and tested Diploma. I doubt it if she could go down to begin tweeting with a diplomat on matters of national nature and let alone sensitive matters. That tweet account must be bogus created by her enemies. I seen and visited many such bogus accounts impersonating as Ministers…Hon Jean Kapata, the First Lady and many other prominent persons have suffered impersonation..
….been a diplomat since 2007 in 9 different countries. In Malawi, he made a comment that Bingu wa Mutharika was becoming more autocratic and intolerant of criticism. The Malawian government expelled him and UK responded by expelling Malawi’s high Commissioner and cut off aid to that country. Bingu Wa Mutharika had to apologise for the expulsion of Cochrane-Dyet and lifted his ban. Dora cannot win a fight against this man, he is different from the Zambians you insult day and night and you still get their votes.
You mean prayers in Chilanga equals violence and corruption?
This is a problem of a diplomat with rabies. The British high commissioner has no manners and at best is still living in colonial times. He cannot be tweeting official things breaking the diplomatic etiquette. Watch the space the British fortunes which they amassed during colonisation days are dwindling fast. So high commissioner come out of your caccoon respect other sovereign countries. Anglo American will for ever an outsider on the Zambian development scene.
Let us work hard and develop our own sovereign wealth otherwise we will continue to be insulted by rabied diplomats dangling a carrot of dead aid.
I do not like the PF government because of the poverty they have caused to the masses due to their continued corrupt practices, but on this issue, I will side with Dora. The UK envoy has no business poking his nose into our affairs. Sadly we cannot easily kick him out the way we kicked out the Cuban Envoy because of the UK donates millions to Zambia. That is why it is important to develop as a nation so that we are not controlled by imperialist instruments like donations.
Let’s take a leaf from Russia, they paid back money owed to the IMF, closed down non-governmental agencies (another imperialist instrument) and are developing in their own right because if you think Zambia is independent think again.
Zambians and Africans in general value blind pride over the truth. I don’t see anything wrong in somebody, British, Zimbabwean, or even Somalian pointing out what is wrong, If they can prove it. The truth hurts. Call a spade a spade. Further more, in all truth, Britain can say and teach us a lot, remember, they have the credibility and hundreds of years of experience of ruling and doing business around the world. Of course people are not perfect – Brits included. They make there own mistakes. Objectivity is key not pride.
This ***** should be expelled in Zambia just the way he was expelled in Malawi.This is very unbecoming, you can’t be engaging a minister on serious matters on twitter when there are diplomatic channels.Ministry of Foreign affairs should take this matter seriously and engage the UK government about this cadre’s behaviour.
I know that Cochrane-Diet is an arrogant Briton sometimes full of himself, sometimes all knowing, sometimes looking down upon our type of people, but then Dora Siliya is better called Dolly as in a child’s plastic dolly, of late acting brainless most of the time just like icidoli camwana!
Spot on, full of himself, all knowing and belittling others. In addition, he is the George Mpombo of UK when it comes to big words or confusing language. I have nothing against him though.
Our Mis-Information who is always Scurrilously spreading misinformation intended to whip up trouble, sexually, economically and politically should know whay both Levy and Sata died in the UK. The UK is not Cuba, you deport High Commissioner Fergus Cochrane-Dyet then count the UK out of your health tourism destinations. With all the HIV related ailements of yours you picked up via promiscuous stinking adulterous conjugal activities with Katangese Zairians, eSwatiniz etc, muza fela mu minzi yanu ba sakala imwe.
Dora was not a diplomat, she was a sperm chamber positions in Egypt to receive spermatozoa for ministers visiting the pyramids and Ramses in Cairo! Further, she is very shallow and ignorant, as minister of transport under Rupiah, she did not know what Malila as AG meant when he advised her that the contract she was signing was a “NULLITY”. In court, one lawyer realised this ignorance and asked her what she understoon by the word NULLITY and she responded, and quote, “It means kuchoka liti”. The judge was very annoyed. These are the Masscom graduates from UNZA, completely useless sure and that’s what you have for minister. And any proud African woman would not be wearing those wigs of hers, she sometimes looks like a sangoma!
I concur at her level of profession and those blonde wigs should be a no – no! How can we have a minister who presents as though she has just come out of Chez Nthemba? Please!!!
Unfortunately Dora Siliya walked into this one with her eyes wide open!! As Minister why did she have to engage the High Commissioner on tweeter? As former diplomat herself she must be very well acquainted with procedure in such developments.
That defeat in Chilanga you UPND cadres was a clean game,no concourt issues ba Dundumwenzi imwe.You were just beaten,an indication of what is ahead of you in 2021.Eastern ,Northen,Luapula,Muchinga,Copperbelt,Lusaka provinces white wash and sharing in Northwestern,Central,Western.No one cares about Southern Province blind voting always happens in this Province with hatred. You get 97% and remaining 7 presidential candidates share 3% but you do not complain of such anormally .
Come on,, don’t bring in colonial sentiments,, let us describe something exactly the way it is appears,, Is the British ambassador lying? No,, if it is the truth, then it’s worth listening too,, it does not matter whether His Chinese,American,, so long what he is talking about is productive and not retrogressive then He is welcome,, Someone is representing your interests and you don’t like them,, if you’re my brother then you’re sinking my business then an outsider advises on the way to go for us to perform. Better,, should I say that he is an outsider hence I will not listen,,but listen to a failure of a brother? Don’t be jokers Gentlemen
This is thinking mate.
Poor journalism. The British envoy is not referring to Dora when he says scurrilous misinformation. Don’t you follow twitter?
Nonses if you insult your mother you now want to insult other people you fool.Remember you are here not to be insulting Zambians you are here to promote relationship between zed and UK.This guy is from the streets in UK.He is the worst UK has given us since independence. UK give us someone else not this crap.