Maravi

Dora is a shameless liar - Banda
By Joseph Mwenda in Lusaka and Christopher Miti in Chipata
Mon 15 July 2013, 14:01 CAT

DORA Siliya is a shameless liar and should not be allowed to swindle the people of Petauke Central Constituency again, says PF Eastern Province secretary Leonard Banda.

Banda who won the election petition against Siliya through a Supreme Court decision said the former education minister should be ashamed to even face the people of Petauke.

"Being a shameless politician, madam Siliya will find it easy to go back and face the people to seek re-election, but I want to remind her that she promised them war if Michael Sata was elected President. I haven't seen any war in the constituency but she has failed to deliver development even under the peaceful rule of the PF," he said.

"She said once President Sata becomes president, same sex marriages would be legalised. She went to the extent of asking villagers to admire her body during campaigns, but the constitution is being finalised now, where does it say that?" he wondered.

Banda advised Siliya to concentrate on her court cases now and spare the people of Petauke.

"What other lies are there for her to tell the electorate when the fertiliser distribution she said would stop under PF has been launched months earlier than usual? Let her accept that she has failed and allow the people of Petauke to move with the government of the day. She is a shameless liar and that is not me speaking but that is what the people are calling her," Banda said.

Meanwhile, Banda said PF was penetrating in Eastern Province like an awakening giant.

He however urged members to exhibit exemplary behavior.
"There has been a lot of slander among some PF leaders in the province and other members who have launched a scorching campaign against me," he said.
"They are saying Leonard Banda is ill and bedridden, but here I am. I am fit and I have been traveling around the province. You know that I am the regional manager for MRI Seed and I move from Lundazi to Nyimba every week. How can I do this if I am bedridden?"

He urged PF members to wait for the party to make a decision on the adopted candidate.

"People are trying to play dirty politics and I am afraid it will not help the party. Let us wait for the party to do its own assessment and choose one candidate. That is the procedure I am going to follow as an aspiring candidate who won a petition against Siliya and everybody else who is interested should do the same not attacking one another's personality," Banda said.

Siliya when contacted for comment said she was not on the same level as Banda to be responding to his attacks.

"I have never talked about Leonard, how can he come all the way to Lusaka to attack me? I am not on the same level with him to be responding to his attacks. And moreover, has the PF adopted him to start speaking like that?" she said.

"Speak to other PF candidates who are aspiring for adoption also like the provincial chairperson Mike Tembo."

Meanwhile, former MMD Eastern Province youth chairperson Luka Banda complained that Siliya was being victimised.

Banda said Siliya should be forgiven for whatever wrongs she committed.
He claimed Siliya had done a lot for the people of Petauke Central and the country at large.

"I am appealing to Zambians and those that are holding government positions to leave Dora Siliya alone. Siliya has brought development particularly in Petauke in Eastern Province and the whole country. Siliya is a woman and as such she is supposed to be forgiven. Let her re-contest the seat with her free mind," Banda said.

He said Siliya was instrumental in the improvement of the water
reticulation system in Petauke and the programme of improving the Great East Road. Most new schools in the province were initiated by Siliya," Banda said.

He said people of Petauke Central want Siliya to re-contest the vacant seat on MMD ticket and not UPND as reported.

"Speaking as a resident of Petauke, I can confirm with you that Dora Siliya is going to re-contest this seat on MMD ticket and she is going back to Parliament," Banda said.

Siliya lost the Petauke Central seat after losing PF candidate in the 2011 elections Leonard Banda petitioned her election.

The High Court ruled that Siliya was duly elected but this was
overturned by the Supreme Court.

Labels: DORA SILIYA, LEONARD BANDA, MMD

posted by MrK @ 4:07 PM