ROME – FAO staffers are gripped by the salacious saga of the agency’s Number 2 boss, Godfrey Magwanzi, who has promoted a Russian speaking female underling who also is his lover, with mounting speculation that he may marry her to regularise the situation to avoid the possibility of being disciplined for unsatisfactory conduct, FAO sources say.

 Under FAO rules a romantic relationship under the circumstances, let alone compounded by sexual favouritsm fuelled by pillow talk, is forbidden and the Office of the Inspector General could be expected to investigate the matter despite the high rank of the esteemed Ziambwean crocodile burger salesman and deputy director general.

 Senior members of the Human Resources division of the UN agency opine that the only way for Magwenzi to regularise the situation would be for him to marry the lover girl, Ms  Ms O-M M, under spouse employment policies, combined perhaps with the transfer of one of them to another office though that of course would not expunge the past misconduct and favouritism.

 Wags note also the old aphorism that a man who marries his mistress creates a vacancy to be filled potentially by another woman.

 While the situation is well known in FAO, Qu Dongyu has evidently turned a blind eye to his chief of staff’s irregular amorous activities.

 Some FAO watchers even see such tolerance as a sign of the Communist DG’s wish to be  independent of official customs in his own country. Chinese presidents have sacked a number of senior officials including a prominent foreign minister in the past for engaging in similar romantic liasons that are seen as improper.

 Diplomatic sources say the croc salesman’s playboy lifestyle is the least of the DG’s problems. The prospect of the Trump administration potentially slashing American funding of UN agencies including FAO might mean that Beijing would be reluctant to support Qu’s bid for a third term at the helm of the behemoth at Circus Maximus.

  jf