Special assistant to the President for press and public relations Amos Chanda said yesterday, however, that Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya and the Zambian government were not involved in the export of maize to Malawi.
Mr Chanda was speaking at a press briefing at State House in Lusaka.
“There is no scandal whatsoever on the maize export. If at all there is any problem about maize exports from Zambia to Malawi, it is on the Malawian side,” he said.
Mr Chanda said Profesor Mutharika had informed President Lungu that there was no wrongdoing on the Zambian side and that there were some controversies on the Malawian side.
He said Ms Siliya did not played any role in any scandal and that what Zambia did was simply responding to the special request by President Mutharika by waiving the export ban that was in place to allow for the export of 100,000 tonnes of maize to Malawi.
“The process was agreed between the buyers and the sellers, in this case Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF), and the Zambian government has nothing to do with that,” Mr Chanda said.
He said the report by a commission of inquiry in Malawi had mentioned Ms Siliya without even talking to her, which is misguided.
“It must be noted that President Lungu similarly allowed maize exports to Democratic Republic of Congo at the special request of President Joseph Kabila,” he said.
Mr Chanda said it is misguided for some people to try and gain political mileage by dragging the names of President Lungu and Ms Siliya into the Malawi issue.
He said President Mutharika sent his envoy, the Malawian Minister of Agriculture, to meet President Lungu.
And Mr Chanda says former MMD president and now United Party for National Development (UPND) sympathiser Nevers Mumba has fallen from the great height of being republican vice-president for him to fail to understand how Government is run.
He said Dr Mumba must be smarting from immense embarrassment caused by his criticism of the visit of the King of Morocco to Zambia recently.
“I guess in Morocco there is laughter at the ignorance of the former pastor, Dr Nevers Mumba,” he said.
International media reported at the weekend that President Muhamadu Buhari of Nigeria made a phone call to the Moroccan King Mohammed VI, who commands immense respect among African leaders.
Amos Chanda has inherited the title Chief Denier at State House once held by Richard Sakala. Is it President Mutharika to tell you that Dora did nothing wrong or it’s the report? Find time to read the report Amos n respond with the truths not what you want us to hear. Umuntu nga nainyelawila ninshi nainyelawila n nothing changes the smell even the additional of extra diapers. If President Lungu doesn t fire Dora in the next one month, nature will fire her. Proclaiming Zambia as a Christian nation means upholding the covenant with integrity n truth. The Truth Will Set Us Free 4m Lies n Liars
Spot on Brown, having invoked God has advantages and consequences. Zambia as a Christian Nation means leadership has to be of a higher standard. All these corrupt leaders will pay dearly.
The Chief Justice is yer ti appoint tribunal to investigate the matter. Funny that you are quick to jump to Dora’s defence when the facts have yet to br established. Would you care to comment on fugitive Henry Banda’s arrival, free movement and departure with suitcases of Dollas – without arrest? Was is not your boss who allowed Henry’d free pass? Your time to account will soon come
This article is again disjointed. It starts with Lungu and Dora on the maizegate scandal – then suddenly switches to President Buhari of Nigeria making a phone call to King Muhammed VI of Morroco. I do not see the connection here or how nevers Mumba is brought into this second story.
If the president grants authorization to export maize then that is Government involvement and NOT Lungu in his personal capacity. As president, whatever His Excellency does is government affair.
I am also confused about the Buhari part! What’s the back ground to Never’s issue?
“He said the report by a commission of inquiry in Malawi had mentioned Ms Siliya without even talking to her, which is misguided”.
AMOS or whatever you call yourself,let the Malawian Govt take back that statement and say they made a mistake and DORA is not involved in the maize scandal then we will believe you.Oh Dora ever at the center of scandals first ZAMTEL and now MAIZE .will it ever end?
Amos, there is the issue of Dora issuing a permit to a company that was not properly registered. What say you on that?
Amos is a thief so what do you expect of a thief except to deny