Mulusa speaks out
…procurement falls under the permanent secretary, not minister
I HAVE never accused the Ministry of Education of buying or trying to buy vehicles in a corrupt manner because procurement does not fall under the minister but Permanent Secretary, former National Planning minister, Lucky Mulusa has charged. Mr Mulusa, who was dropped by President Lungu last week said he has never told anyone about such a process because it was not possible as all procurement procedures would be dealt with at Permanent Secretary level. He told the Daily Nation in an interview that there was too much fake information on social media which the media was falling prey to without verification. Mr Mulusa said, he could not be compared to any other politician who talks carelessly because he had no intention of insulting the President and has not done that. “I have never issued any statement regarding anything to do with the buying of vehicles in the Ministry of Education, and if anything the procurement of tenders in any ministry has got nothing to do with ministers, but that is the work of the Permanent Secretaries. “The only media I spoke to was the News Diggers and you as the Daily Nation are the second people I have spoken to and at no time did I talk to any other,” Mr Mulusa said. He advised the public to understand how the government was operating and not disseminating wrong information that was misleading, saying that was wrong. Mr Mulusa was reacting to sentiments alleging that he was fired because of his refusal to be part of the alleged corrupt government. “At no time did I speak to anyone and the social media has been fabricating stories that has seen a lot of people falling prey to, because it is not long when there was a letter circulating purporting that Lands Minister Jean Kapata, had been fired when in fact not,” he said. Mr Mulusa said that all the allegations about him were false, but that he would only talk at an appropriate time.