Friday, March 29, 2024

Dora says Zambia and US are still friends as Lusaka seeks to mend patches with Washington

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Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya

 

The Zambian government has sought to strike a reconciliation tone after US Ambassador Daniel Foote threatened that Washington may review its cooperation with Zambia as the gay rights row deepened.

Earlier on Monday, Mr. Foote in a rare press conference explosively revealed that Zambia and US relations are decaying and are now strained.

But the Zambian government says it still considers the US government as a friend.

Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya says the long-standing cordial relations between Zambia and the US has always been considered a partnership between friends.

“Any difference of opinion on any matter has always been expected to be admirably resolver including agreeing to disagree,” Ms Siliya said.

Earlier, Ms Siliya has maintained that homosexuality is Illegal in Zambia and that  Government stands by the Zambian people who have said no to homosexuality even though the latest Constitution review process.

Ms Siliya said that as President Edgar Lungu told SKY FM in an interview standing firm against the Order of Nature does not make Zambians uncivilised.

According to a tweet, Ms Siliya who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister, said Zambians Love their God and until Zambians change homosexuality is illegal.

Yesterday, President Edgar Lungu said Zambia will not be forced to legalise homosexuality for fear of losing Aid.

President Lungu said that it will be wrong to tie aid to the introduction of homosexuality in Zambia because the country has traditions and values which should be respected, adding that American Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote went too far by insulting the collective wisdom of the Zambian people in the manner he commented on the issue.

 

Below is the latest Government statement on the issue

 

73 COMMENTS

  1. 1. There is no such word as “gayism”
    2. Thank you PF for provocking the US ambassador into exposing you misuse of donor aid and you attemptd to cover it up
    3. Am glad you have been humbled. Your arrogance was becoming too much. You thought Foote could be triffled with like you walk all over docile Zambians
    4. Which diplomacy? Which quietly? Is it not Lungu who went to skynews and started making silly statements including saying the West can go and keep their aid?
    5. Thank you Ambassador Foote. You are worth your weight in gold.

    • Zambians need the US more than they need PF. Just think about it, who is paying for the ARVs that millions of Zambians need; who is paying for all the drugs in hospitals? Think about AGOA free trade area? I am sure no one is still admiring Mugabe’s courage, the once wealthy middle class country of Zimbabwe is now a laughing stock of the world.

    • Niba Journalist ba bwanji aba ba Dora kasi? Gayism? What is that? The whole ministry os brodacsting doesnt have someone to correct the minister?
      It is called Homosexuality

    • The feud stands between a physical matter Foote and antigays proponents, not between the mighty US and Zambia.
      Foote is corrupt.
      Ambassadors come, Ambassadors go. Before Foote we had many US envoys. Foote wants to be the last, alas, after Foote we will have many.
      Why does he want to close the door? He is selfish and corrupt. A very jealous and envious and ungrateful and divisive fellow.
      The USA/Zambia relationship will survive Foote mark my words.

    • This ‘manish’ woman is lying through her teeth. She is exceedingly failing to read in-between uncle Foote’s concepts or terms. Uncle Foote did not mince his words and, he delivered the message in a raw form. This ‘manish’ woman is trying to fine-tune uncle Foote’s message which was put together by opa Trump. Uncle Foote noted that he is an extension of opa Trump. Thus, such admission affirms my supra written thoughts. Stop trying to purify hard facts which certainly do not sit well with the entire PF hierarchy. I liken this ‘manish’ woman’s denials and appeals to a failed marriage in which the wrong party does not let go. Its over and tell the PF to pack its bags because it will not receive any properties.

    • Hehehehehehehe!
      So it turns out Doote was behind the numerous sporadic protests that Kanganja warned about and stopped.
      The ambassador claims the PF is ungrateful. This make me wonder should Government be grateful to Mr. Doote Faniels or the wonderful people of the United States? Doote found USAID and other US missions in Zambia.
      Some people can be dangerous.

    • Gayism….Zambia please…..its not a movement or an organisation….scared of the begging bowl getting empty…..lets build our economy please…look at how the Western world is looking at Rwanda now….for as long as we remain beggars nothing will change…the West wil be insulting us every day

    • Journeyman..move to a gay friendly country if you’re gay. You don’t see that ambassador Foote crossed the line here? Polygamy is illegal in America. When was the last time you heard a Zambian ambassador in America holding a press conference to “express his opinion,” condemning the criminalization of polygamy? They would laugh at him and accuse him of undermining American values. So what gives this ambassador the right to be acting like a colonial administrator in Zambia? Zambia is a sovereign State and not a colony of America. We have our own African, Christian values and traditions which should be respected.

    • I’VE JUST WATCHED THE SKY NEWS INTERVIEW OF PRESIDENT LUNGU IN WHICH HE APTLY CONDEMNS THE BESTIALITY OF HOMOS. THE US AMBASSADOR ALSO APPEARS IN THE SEGMENT AND WHAT IS VERY SHOCKING IS THE ARROGANCE OF THE US AMBASSADOR COMPARED TO THE HUMILITY OF OUR PRESIDENT.
      THE AMBASSADOR ACTUALLY THREATENS TO REVIEW US AID BECAUSE OF THE PRESIDENT’S STANCE ON HOMOSEXUALITY!!
      SHAME ON THE AMBASSADOR

    • This is the problem with cowards but thieves. They want to pretend to be strong when they are nothing but cowards. If they were quick to send back an envoy who just attended a meeting, why are they scared to do the same to someone they ignorantly perceive has insulted them? I don’t think that Foote was saying we should legalize homosexuality but that as much as you wish to severely punish those whose crime affects only the two of them without a cost to the nation, those who inflate prices of fire tenders, those who build 51 and 49 flats, those who inflate a km road construction by millions of dollars, those who steal money for the poor, those who become millionaires in 12 months, those who spend money recklessly on Jets and the list is endless are supposed to be in jail for much longer…

    • period and not on the street, since their crime is more less genocidal, affecting the whole population. But how many corrupt and thieving individuals government officials are in jail today? They want to pretend as if it is life as usual when people are dying for lack of medicine, student loans cannot be given to deserving ones, load shedding and meal mealie prices have become the trade mark and you are there saying nye nye nye nye?

  2. Africans Stop pandering to these imperialists. Even if they are not our friends we will survive. America didnt feed us from the 4th century. We have fed ourselves and have survived. They cant arrive here to start dangling carrots before us for them to be our friends. We dont want that kind of friendship. Foote must start acting like a diplomat not like a crybaby from a planet outside of earth and threatening us with destruction because we are not listening to him.

    • Let us keep things in context. Compare how we handle corruption in Zambia at the moment and the venom we spit over gay relationships all in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Is it really Christianity here or mere convenience of trying to hide behind a finger!!!!??? You don’t support gay life, fine, just say so but why go ballistic about it when you don’t do the same over someone who siphons millions of dollars meant for our ordinary folks. Funny how some people seem to become holier than the holy ones. What do the religious leaders like the Pope say about such issues? Where is our wisdom anchored?

    • Sin is sin .. you can steal a pen and another person murder …you will all burn in hell! this government should be ashamed of itself. don’t hide your hypocrisy in the name of a christian nation. God will not judge us according to nationality. christian nation ubuchende fulu, corruption fulu , fima thugs all over and you mock God on the 18th of October?

  3. If Foote was from Cuba the PF would by now have sent him back home. But now they are issuing press statements urgently from Dora’s home about friendships that dont exist because they smell danger.
    Kwena US ilamitutumya!

    • Ambassador raised so many points.In short he said there are so many other crimes committed which deserve lenghthy sentence.He did not say homosexuality is good.you are misinterpreting his speech.

    • Most PF chaps failed Comprehension aka Can you Remember! They can’t read for understanding but for arguments only! It’s shocking how even ba kateka has failed to understand the Ambassador’s speech. No one is advocating for the practice of LGBTI! Not even Trump would do that! What is clear is LGBTI is Internationally classified as a minority group who unfortunately suffer many human rights abuses. Minority human rights are vigorously protected internationally! But that is not what the Ambassador was saying. He was comparing the ambiguous sentences our courts give for Public and Private Crimes! How come Private crimes receive harsher sentences compared to public crimes like corruption? Why is PF trying to hide behind the LGBTI finger?

    • Dora the hul3 should go and f*ck Trump as a peace offering, she wont feel bad after all she is a moving hul3 with no self respect, we can even throw in the other hul3 Sharon for a threesome…. PFoools are just dogs no questions

  4. Foote raised a number of issues in his presser. Statement from GRZ agrees to disagree with only one- homosexuality. What about corruption, marginalisation of minorities, etc ?? Does silence mean guilty?

  5. These dissenting opinions are certainly not shared by state-controlled media such as ZNBC, Zambia Daily Mail, and Times of Zambia. It’s time to advocate for a real voice for all Zambians and uphold a person’s right to freedom of conscience and belief.”

    Lack of reflective communications and empathy from custodian of law in Zambia. When moral Conscience is disturbed it’s hard to turn the blind eye. To serve and protect ambassador Daniel Foote has perform his duty.

  6. It’s was embarrassing listening to Mr Chagwa on Sky TV! It’s all over the world and really laughable how a trivial private matter has given Zambia a very bad name! It was also laughable how our armed police could be patrolling around The American Embassy? Guys, do we know what we are doing? An embassy is international space! The US embassy does not need our police to protect US space! That was an act of aggression according to International Law! Ba PF, don’t bring us problems! Let’s learn a bit of intelligent diplomacy and also to think and analyze consequences before we utter certain things! True humility does not come with arrogance! Pride goes before the fall!

    • Iwe chikubabe don’t you know about the US embassies in Dar and Nairobi being bombed? Is the dust that Foote is raising making you too confusedto see a clear picture? The Zambia Police are obligated to protect the US embassy since Foote is crying that you want to kill him

  7. how about other issues that he raised? does, such as corruption, how come there’s been no reaction? dan only drew comparisons which you f ools fail to see, choosing to pick one as a sin and ignoring many other wrongs that need righting in Zambia
    the aid comes from a taxpayers who support lgbtq . I am a taxpayer and i’ll not sit by and have my hard earned $ be given to govnt that’s so corrupt and abusing human rights.
    you guys think you’ll win on this one. the u s embassy can close tomorrow and no American would loose sleep over that.
    dan didn’t say anything wrong towards Zambia, learn to listen to substance and criticism, sa has recognition to same se x marriage even Botswana, when it comes to issues that don’t help the Zambian population that’s suffering, you’re so quick to…

  8. …. you’re so quick to reaction, when ubunga price and many other issues, you keep mute.
    you’ve exposed
    all the aid you receive it’s from taxpayers money from countries that have no issues with the lgbtq
    if you address and react to all the issues dan raised, i’ll respect you, right now, you’re just morons and you say let them stop their aid. you have means to survive cuz mwaliiba, it’s not you who’ll suffer it’s the many Zambians. they don’t care what happens in people’s bedrooms, they want ways to make a living, send children to school..

  9. So I drove into some Martians the other day and they asked that I take them to my leaders. I pointed at Siliya and they all burst out laughing saying I was joking. They asked that I be more serious. So the next guy I showed them was Mulange, the Foreign Minister. I heard a collective jaw drop from them and a wind from that came from their collective shaking of heads in the negative. They gave me one last chance and I pointed at ECL. They kept quiet and all went in a state of shock as if to suggest that they had clearly landed in a country which, though beautiful and well endowed with natural resources, had no leaders. The bade me farewell and told me that maybe they may visit in 100years time. They said in farewell, “…sorry you have no leaders”.

  10. Surprising that in the quote below President Edgar Chagwa Lungu is claiming that homosexuality will be introduced by accepting foreign aid, because Zambia has had LGBI persons from before the British Government enacted the anti-homosexual law in our statutes.

    See an excerpt below taken from President Lungu’s utterants to a foreign reporter, he said “… it will be wrong to tie aid to the introduction of homosexuality in Zambia because the country has traditions and values which should be respected…”.

    What introduction of homosexuality is the President referring to? Homosexuality has been here in Zambia all along!

  11. It would have nice if the honorable minister had also addressed other issues raised by the ambassador such such corruption and that they actually sent experts to help with the energy sector!
    We have refunded funds before after their governments objected to how we were using or misusing the donations.
    You see, even us citizens, you dismiss us without paying attention to issues we raise. When you get into power you forget that you have a duty to really listen not be dismissive.

  12. Stop trying to isolate foote from the USA goverment, do you think the americans will side with pf against their man in zambia ??
    You are desperately exposing yourselves.

    This is now another level of being nothing but empty loud mouths.

    With this silly fight you have picked , PF you are now under the microscope.

    As electionerings heat up you now will not hide behind violence and intimidation of the opposition.

  13. Please advise bakateka that what horrified Amb Foote was the sentence of 15 years when corrupt officials and politicians go Scot free from courts, even when evidence is overwhelming at ACC. The Amb would probably not be horrified if the sentence was say 12 months, or even a warning as first offenders. Let the bakateka not spoil an already strained relationship between Zambia and America government by unguarded careless statements targeted at votes. The INF is harder on us than normal because of the same careless statements, and now we say IMF are our friends, well they are shocked.

    • There is no need for nuclear bomb. PF promised to construct Russian design nuclear central to be managed and operated by ZESCO.
      Like that, next time lights are out for eternity.

  14. Imagine, the Zambian or Russian or French Ambassador convening a press briefing supporting the Democrats on Trump’s impeachment or parading with the Black Lives Matter movement??? And we all support that?? Let’s be real here, PF is not an invading entity that imposed itself on Zambian people but a legitimate elected party voted by Zambians. To isolate and attack them is an insult on the sovereignty and intelligence of Zambian people. Foote, and not Americans, is offside here, chapwa. USA, not Foote, have a huge regional embassy here with other interests, are they going to pack and go??

    • The PF are riddled with scandels everyday.

      What Foote highlighted , we hear that and much more everyday.

      As foote said, PF take US tax payers money, expect to be told the truth.

      Was there any untruths is what Foote said ????

      The USA would not pack up and go, they would simply not give Zambia any aid.

    • If they stop giving aid, let them close their embassy in Ibex Hill and move to Congo or Malawi. Aid should not be conditional. If Zambians choose PF to lead them, no one should insult their intelligence by ridiculing the PF. Those scandals you speak of are mere speculations that can’t even stand in any court. Look at the LAZ circus on bill 10 that was thrown out by ConCourt. All nonsense!!! Is it right for Zambian ambassador to hold press briefing on Trump’s impeachment???

    • @ Zambian 1mbecile
      How can anybody insult your intelligence when you are certified moronic 1mbecile?
      As to ridiculing PF, there is no need to help. PF has master the art of self-ridicule by having you as their defending supporter.

    • Who told you that they were legitimately elected? Why are some of you iiddiioottss try to water down real situations when even the masquerades themselves know deep down their hearts that they did not win the elections?

    • @Chilankalipa: oh, OK. Upnd has 56 mps to PFs 86+12 independents who are their members and upnd won??? So we were going to have a minority government in power?? Stop filling your head with sh!t that’s not there and live in reality. Upnd has lost elections since 2001!!!

  15. Ha ha ha ! What a batch of fools. Zambian you don’t deserve these corrupt *****s , who now want to distract your attention.?The issue here is a comparison between judgement given to politicians who are killing thousands of Zambian through their corruption and the two gay men. Who is the worst criminal here ? These people you Zambian have employed ( the politicians ) are insulting your intelligence. Send them go chimbokaila after 2021. Enough is enough.

  16. I respect freedom of expression and concerns raised by Ambassador Foote.However, its important for any host country to protest if there is breach of diplomatic etiquette. We have heard ambassadors being summoning at Foreign (Affairs)Offices.

    In July 2019,the UK Ambassador to the USA,Kim Darroch,in his memos ( diplomatic cables) to London in which he described Trump administration as inept,unpredictable and diplomatically clumsy,were leaked to a British newspaper.This infuriated President Trump.He launched a Twitter attack on both the envoy describing him as a ” very stupid guy ” and outgoing PM Threasa May as “foolish”.
    This reaction from Presdent Trump was as a result of a leaked diplomatic cable which eventually led to Amb. Darroch’s resignation,now imagine the backlash if Amb…

  17. Now imagine the backlash if Amb.Darrock had held a press briefing?
    In a series of blistering tweets from President Trump,one of the tweets read:
    “The wacky Ambassador that the UK foisted upon the US is not someone we are thrilled with,a very stupid guy.”
    This was President Trump’ s protest against a cable by a British Diplomat.

  18. I challenge all those PF lovers like sharon to come out in support of this Siliya and Pf government stance on this gay stuff. Remember it was the same DORA SILIYA in Banda’s MMD who tried to scare Zambians away from voting for PF in 2011 saying SATA and SCOTT had a secret plan to legalize gay rights in Zambia. The plan did not work then, the people were tired of Corruption, lies by Dora, economic hardships, no meds in clinics, the same Zambian people will not be fooled unless the election is engineered.

  19. This is the problem when you’ve the person in charge who always moves half drunk. Look at what Zimbabwe has become, people are suffering because of deeds of a few styopet individuals. You don’t play with the US. What has Dora to say about the cadres that have threatened the Ambassador? Don’t think that Foote is like Hichilema whom you can insult and lock up at will. The US has information on all PF criminal activities. If they impose targeted sanctions it’s Zambians who’ll suffer. All these are traits of a regime on its way out. Goodbye PF, we won’t miss you

    • Milenge, not Foote or Americans, is voting for PF today!!!!!! PF IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE, MY FRIEND. SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOUR WET DREAMS OF hh IN PLOT 1…

  20. So PF Officials are not angry because of LGBTI issues but are angry because their dirty secrets have been exposed – The Stealing of Donor and borrowed money! Sadly, Zambians as docile as Donkeys to get it! Have you ever watched how Donkeys behave when under attack by Lions? Instead of running away, they stand watching their fellow victims until their turn comes! Zambians will believe PF gay lies and will not ask questions why a country that has borrowed over $19Billion Dollars has very little to show for it! Where has all that money gone? China was joking about corruption in Africa the other day where they said “Give Africans 5 Chickens and they will only account for 2.”
    That’s exactly what the US Ambassador and all other Diplomats are saying! Where has the money gone?

  21. The Americans have the right to their opinion. If they give foreign aid to Zambia and then Zambia starts to impede on people’s rights then they have every right to rethink supporting Zambia. I laugh at the fuss around gay people. How does two consenting adults who happen to be from same sex and love each other affect your life? You should be in jail for having sex with your partner? Seriously? Why do you want to become a Democracy when you don’t want people to be free? How does a gay relationship affect you? So now you have to force people who are not straight change their sexuality? When did they legalize straight sex? It’s never been done. So why regulate sex between two people? We need to get off this primitive mentality that arose from a primitive book ( Bible) and get back to 2029…

  22. Dungus (most African leaders) knows that even if aid is withdrawn, he will continue to live comfortably on his unlimited source of revenue which extends to government coffers through means that are not legal, it is the Chambians who will eventually suffer while he proceeds to take cover under humbleness, let us learn to think about the people we lead for once at least during this remaining tenure before the boot finally arrives and in addressing issues do not cherry-pick address issues as a whole and do not just pick on one verse, even in the bible is you do not read and understand it as a whole, you will be misled if you cherry-pick only those verses which you feel support your being.

  23. You do not win elections by denouncing homosexuality. Even Jesus Christ would not call others dogs because they are gay, corruption is killing thousands and not homosexuality.

  24. Agony is receiving support from cooperating partners knowing very well that taxpayers in those countries include gays. It is a contradiction. It is hypocrite. In one breath, the poor countries reject gays. In the same breath, the poor countries accept donations from gay countries. The gay countries possess competitive advantage in relation to poor countries. Think of scholarships. Think of technology. Think of investments. Think of military. If it comes to show down, then poor countries will regret it.

  25. If you are going to be tough on homosexuality…be tough on corruption and other issues affecting the country’s progress, that’s what Foote is saying!!

  26. Zambia has adopted so man issues and traditions from the western world to the extent that they have almost totally forgotten about their culture and traditions that defined Zambia. Today we have embraced every rhetoric in the name of civilisation. But in this time we are managing to fend off homosexuality, how I wish we had also the capacity to reject other vices from the Western world. Who that the Western religion will grow so much that we would use it to fend off other Western agendas? Time to reflect for Zambians and the govt especially into accepting anything and everything. We must instead go back to our roots and enforce educate our young people before they are completely lost.

  27. These are all Trump people. Very bad and extremely racist. Why dont they go after China which is abusing it’s own people on mass scale. Some Zambians here are also too dull. Some Zambians should not be allowed to contribute to debates because they dont know anything but just yapping foolishly and ignorant.Ambassador was wrong to interfere in local politics and above all with the court decision. He is not Zambian and such things are for us to deal with. Yes, take your Aid. China perhaps gives much more now. US and the West spent centuries with us and we still live like in the stone age. So, yes we can do without your Aid and your Homo values.

  28. It’s people like this Zambian Criminal here that are so irritating and stupid. Why continue to argue even when you know that your so called president has voiced a load of embarrassing and contradictory words in response to constructive criticism from the american embassy? There is no accountability in the Zambian government!!
    Zambian Criminal here is deluded in thinking that PF will always feed him and his family…. just remember that what goes up must come down. You can not continue to deceive the people of Zambia with a few bible quotes. We are not stupid, you hypocrites!!

  29. The topic here is ambassador’s demand for quid pro quo. I.e. embrace homosexuality and we give you Aid. So Mr. Enlightened you seem to be in the dark and not in the light as your nick is trying to suggest. Stick to the topic. You dont understand that this ambassador is supporting and promoting something that is illegal in Zambia. 15years is the minimum the judges could give to those offenders according to our laws. Yes we have a problem with corruption but ambassador seem to have seen corruption only after sentencing the homo. Before that he kept quite. So guys wake up.

  30. I disagree!! No body is forcing Zambia to embrace homosexuality. The issue is about the length of the sentencing in comparison to how this government deals with cases of corruption and the absence of accountability….in other words, thieving of public funds by the likes of you!! On point with the topic!! Stop being defensive and accept constructive criticism… it’s the only way to grow this nation healthily!!

  31. Being clever in making money doesnt mean someone is wise. He could just be a clever thief. The Guptas are very rich that doesnt mean they arent foolish. There are many billionaires who arent smart. Making money isnt the one measurement for being clever

  32. Silliya is a bed warmer for PF and she thinks by becoming a bed warmer for Foote things will be ok, fat chance of that you ignorant PF/ECL

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