By Mubanga Mubanga
What is it that Mtolo Phiri has not done that you should really be concerned about him going on leave, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Green Mbozi has questioned.
Sources in the UPND administration have told Daily Revelation that Agriculture minister Phiri has gone on annual leave in the midst of the mealie meal shortage crisis and escalating prices in the staple foods, but Mbozi defended him wondering if the matter was even news
worth telling people about.
“Is that news worth? Why is it news worth?” Mbozi asked, but when the reporter retorted that the minister has gone on leave in the midst of a crisis, Mbozi responded: “What’s your name boss (laughs)? You don’t want the minister to be going on leave?”
“I will tell you what happens when the minister is on leave. He continues working. So I continue reporting to him,” Mbozi said despite the insistence by the reporter on the same question. “Listen, what is your concern really? Like today I’m in touch with the minister everyday. So I don’t know what really you want really because what has he not done?”
Mbozi asked the reporter to call Phiri himself when asked about the leave status even when he was told that the Agriculture minister was not taking his calls.
“He might have been busy. I called him. It was the same with me but finally I called him he answered,” Mbozi said and told the reporter not to put words in his mouth if by saying what he said he was confirming Phiri’s leave. “Don’t put words in my mouth. I’m not his spokesperson. That issue has nothing to do with me. I am in touch with the minister. I think you have other issues. If you want to have issues with him or you want to confirm something that sounds personal you can call the minister.”
Asked how the Ministry was operating in this time of crisis without the minister, Mbozi said: “There is no problem. Even now I can call him. There is no problem.”
