Opinion: Dora Siliya and The Army Worn In Chief
News of Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya merrymaking in Los Angeles could not have come at a worse time than now for the flamboyant Petauke lawmaker.
Siliya for one should know that she has not made many friends in politics especially that there are still people that can never forgive her admission into the Patriotic Front inner circle. Her appointment was as controversial as most of her ride to the top in politics.
Maybe her, more than anyone else should care more for the sensitivities of people than any average minister in the current government. She has enjoyed utmost confidence from the Head of State despite having many voices wishing her fall in politics.
Another government official may have got away with a selfie galore and even won praise for having had an enviable handshake with the former Heavy Weight champion Mike Tyson. Hers could have been glory for show off back home but in that moment of silliness, the indomitable Siliya may have gotten carried away with being in the face of Iron Mike the youngest ever to have claimed the Heavy weight title at the age of 19 and his famed knockouts remain part of the legend.
What has riled the public most is not that Siliya is out on an excursion to recharge herself after a gruelling election season but that the country is in the middle of an agricultural crisis brought by army worms attacking maize.
The crisis has drawn Presidential attention with every imaginable resource called upon to the war front to alleviate the army worms. Vice President Inonge Wina, perhaps with more justifiable cause to be on holiday, has not rested since President Lungu declared war on army worms.
What worse time for the Agriculture Minister to be absent at the war front than in a time of crisis? No one is questioning Siliya’s entitlement to having a break but the timing could not have been any worse. With her experience the Agriculture Minister should have known better.
Maybe more for the army worms than the feelers coming out of Namibia in terms of the company she is keeping on her holiday should we be more worried. In a nutshell Siliya should do more to repay the faith of those that have staked their necks for her than going merrymaking in a critical agricultural period especially that the country has in a long time been blessed with rains.
In any set up, leaders cut short their merrymaking to attend to national disaster to join the battlefront and show the people that elect them their true worth. Of what value is Siliya to the agriculture minister when she is nowhere to be seen at the battle front?
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