INFORMATION and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya has described the video making rounds about her giving money to PF cadres as fake.

The minister says she has since reported the matter to the Inspector General of police.

A video has gone viral in which an unidentified man clad in a green PF t-shirt is showing off bundles of hundred kwacha notes spread on a bed, claiming that the money was given to him by Siliya, who is also Petauke Central PF member of parliament.

The unidentified man in the video bragged that Siliya had given his group enough cash to deal with her rivals, and as such, he would deal with Emmanuel Banda also known as Jay Jay, who is vying for the constituency position.

But during a press briefing, Monday, Siliya said the video was fake and should be treated with the disgust that it deserved.

“I would like to tell the nation that I am extremely disappointed that some people who are aimed at tarnishing my name and the image of government are circulating fake videos that purport me to have given people money to discredit people or to injure people. That video is absolutely fake and it must be treated with the disgust and condemnation that it deserves. I have since reported the matter to the IG and it is my trust that the police can expeditiously address this matter,” she said

“So that fake video must be condemned, I have no idea who the person in the video is and I have given no one money to injure or discredit anyone and this is why I have reported the matter to the police myself,” she added.

And Siliya said such behaviour is why government finds it necessary to make the cyber space safe.

“In fact, I want to belabour the point that videos such as that one are the very reason that government wants to make sure that we provide a safe cyber space for citizens to operate in because if anyone can decide that they are going to take a video and allege untruths, then who is going to be safe? Not our children, not our women, not anybody in society and this is why government has been very adamant about the fact that the citizens would like a cyber space in which they operate where they feel safe,” Siliya said.

Meanwhile, Siliya urged business houses to share the benefits of the stability of the Kwacha with the citizens who are already hard hit with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After my Sunday interview yesterday, I received a call-out from some people about why are prices of commodities high and yet the Kwacha has been quite stable in the last few weeks or few months and that indeed there has been stability in the Kwacha even around K20, K21 we should be expecting stability in commodity prices. What we are seeing is that a lot of business people want to take advantage of citizens and consumers. I think that this is an issue that we hope that the various organisations in the country, business organisations should really reach out to the citizens who are going through such a difficult time especially with COVID-19. Things are looking well, when I checked this morning, I think the price of copper is above US$9,000 per tonne, it means that God is hearing our prayers and there is really a light at the end of the tunnel and the worst is behind us and we all need to be working together to ensure that at the end of the day, we make it possible for every Zambian to be able to afford the basics,” said Siliya.

“Government is doing its part, we expect the private sector and everybody else to respond to the stability especially after the President’s economic recovery program pronouncement on the 16th of December so that we should share in that stability and sustainability with the citizens in a manner that they should feel that even through this difficult times, at least there is some relief.”

She further warned that violence against journalists would not be tolerated and added that elections is something the country should be excited about and not talk about with doom.