DON’T MAKE US HATE THE KING

As we commemorate the country’s 56th Independence anniversary, we have a duty to also celebrate truth-telling.  

At the peak of the civil unrest, Manqoba Khumalo, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, mentioned something worthy of archiving when he said: “Don’t make us hate the King.” Interviewed by Newzroom Afrika, Khumalo was steadfast in his political convictions that no circumstance will make him and rest of emaSwati hate the King.  EmaSwati must acknowledge the fact that the King is not involved in the day-to-day activities or works of the government. I cannot, therefore, criticise him for the failure by doctors to show up at work.
As a head of State in a constitutional monarchy, he delegated all those powers to the prime minister, who is the leader of government business in Parliament. Parliament represents the nation.

Bodies

When one carefully studies the Constitution, he will realise that the King endorses most of the appointments. In fact, service commissions, councils and other bodies recommend names of capable individuals to the King.  “The King shall appoint the prime minister from among members of the House acting on recommendation of the King’s Advisory Council,” reads Section 67 (1) of the Constitution. The recommendation comes before the appointment or the appointment comes after the recommendation.   “The King shall appoint ministers from both chambers of Parliament on the recommendation of the prime minister,” reads Section 67 (2).United Kingdom (UK) is a party country, but the monarch is involved in the appointment of the prime minister.

I want to teach today. In the UK, the prime minister is the leader of the government. He or she is the leader of the party that wins the most seats at a general election.  Pay attention! After a general election, the ‘monarch’ calls upon the leader of the largest party to form the government. The prime minister chooses the other members of the government and has a residence and offices at 10 Downing Street.  When these facts are laid bare, we get insulted on social media, but I am defiant. Section 63 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland (Eswatini) spells out the duties of the citizen.  It is stipulated in the supreme law of the land that it shall be the duty of ‘every citizen’ to uphold and defend the Constitution and the law.  Section 63 (b) provides that it shall be the duty of every citizen to promote the prestige and good name of Swaziland (Eswatini) and respect the symbols of the nation.

It is stated in Section 63 (c) that a citizen shall further the national interest and national unity. I pointed out earlier that we expect government to deliver, but the King, who is not involved in the day-to-day government business, has, however, delivered special and quality services from which we are now benefitting.   In his 38-year reign as the King and Ingwenyama of the Eswatini Nation, he has done great things for emaSwati. He has launched quite a number of people-driven projects; some of which have created jobs and businesses for emaSwati.
One of the massive projects, which is the brainchild of His Majesty the King is the Eswatini Development Finance Corporation known as FINCORP.

The corporation began as a E44 million fund, which the King commissioned in November 1995, with the aim of economically empowering emaSwati at grassroots level through provision of sound and sustainable services. He instructed Tibiyo TakaNgwane to set aside the sum of E44 million to kick-start the scheme, which has offered emaSwati access to credit.   

Corporation

Today, FINCORP is a registered private corporation with two shareholders namely, the Government of Eswatini and Tibiyo Taka Ngwane, holding 80 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. According to its website, the corporation continues to fulfil its mandate as commissioned by His Majesty the King, which is to empower Eswatini citizens through provision of meaningful access to credit, job creation and poverty alleviation. It has, to date, provided access to financial services to thousands of small and medium enterprises and individuals across all economic sectors that make a meaningful contribution to economic growth.

It is an indisputable fact that entrepreneurs, both on Eswatini nation land and title deed land, continue to receive financial assistance to start-up new businesses and expand existing ones.
When the King ascended to the Throne in 1986, he built on the foundation of his father, King Sobhuza II.There was no freeway in the country in 1986. Am I a liar when I say he pioneered the construction of the Mbabane-Manzini Highway? This road now connects with two main highways - Ngwenya-Mbabane and Manzini-King Mswati III (KMIII) International Airport.
The MR3 shall be a highway or rather freeway from Ngwenya to Lomahasha – the border that connects Eswatini with Mozambique, our trading partner.

I was still a journalist at that time when the construction of the highway received resistance and objection from workers and certain political formations. At present, I have no records of people who say the Mbabane-Manzini Highway was a waste of public funds. Another biggest scheme supported by His Majesty the King through signature or assent is the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF). PSPF is the biggest retirement facility in the country. It was in 1993 when the PSPF Order was passed by the Council of Ministers which became an Order after the King had assented to it. Since the term of Parliament had expired, the law establishing the PSPF is called an ‘Order’.

The King, administering the affairs of the country in consultation with the Council of Ministers, set up the PSPF that we so admire today. The Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre is part of the millennium projects launched by the King in 2000. In fact, it is the brainchild of His Majesty the King. Ingwenyama introduced social grants for elderly persons. We have to appreciate that our parents are receiving a monthly allowance from government. They are receiving E500 per month, translating to E6 000 per year.Others may argue that they are receiving meagre allowances, but the bottom line is that there is a facility that caters for elderly persons in Eswatini.

Phalala Medical Referral Fund
I was hurt when I saw emaSwati, led by some political activists aged above 60, ridiculing royal family members travelling to South Africa for medical treatment. How many emaSwati benefitted from the Phalala Medical Referral Fund? I am talking about ordinary emaSwati. Phalala Fund is the brainchild of His Majesty King Mswati III. He created a medical aid for all of our people. Since inception, government spent in excess of a billion Emalangeni in medical costs for emaSwati, whom government conveyed to South Africa for specialist medical care.When the King introduced the fund, its objective was to assist deserving Eswatini citizens, who would otherwise not have access to specialist medical care, to secure such care either, within the country or, in special circumstances, outside the country, mainly in South Africa and Mozambique.

As a result, ambulances have been transporting the patients to either of these countries. The King Mswati III International Airport forms part of the Millennium Projects initiated by His Majesty. Travellers like yours truly will bear testimony that Matsapha, where the old airport is situated, is prone to bad weather and aircraft.  It was also considered small to accommodate large aircraft. Experts in airport construction say such infrastructure like the KMIII International Airport becomes a huge benefit for the future generations. Under his leadership, the country introduced Free Primary Education. He did not object to this facility, but assented to the law that created it.Why don’t we praise the head of State for instructing Tibiyo TakaNgwane to create jobs by building the prestigious Royal Villas in Ezulwini?

The Royal Villas was built to accommodate heads of State who attended the Smart Partnership International Dialogue hosted by Eswatini in 2003. It was later turned into a hotel. It is now regarded as one of the leading hotels in Eswatini.It is the favourite place for Thabo Mbeki, the former President of South Africa. Ex-President Mbeki said he wanted to be accommodated at Royal Villas whenever he visits the country. I cannot falter people who predict that the International Convention Centre (ICC) and Five-Star Hotel (FISH) shall be a white elephant.
I would gladly appreciate if one of us would show me one project under the millennium projects initiated by the King which is now a white elephant. Is the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre a white elephant?

I like a government or a leader who invests in capital projects. Basically, I do not have evidence before me which suggests that the ICC and FISH shall be a white elephant. According to government, the ICC and FISH project seeks to stimulate economic growth in the tourism sector, as the hotel is envisaged to accommodate big international conferences. The ICC building consists of a single building, with an approximate floor area of 40 000m2, that will house a 1 800-seat theatre, an exhibition centre, conferencing chambers, a restaurant and a multi-purpose hall across its two basements, a ground floor and a first floor. The roofs will consist of a combination of concrete roof slabs and a structural steel roof structure, which will be covered either by steel roof sheeting or by glass.

Coatings

Some of these curved structural steel roofs will span 56 metres, and there is also an elliptically-shaped dome which will span 48 metres. The building finishes are of very high specifications and the facades are a combination of specialised cementitious coatings, aluminium cladding and plaster and paint. I want to state in conclusion that the road network in the country is one of the best in the southern African region. Like in any other country, we still have to maintain many of our roads, mainly the feeder ones. However, I have to mention that the country, under the leadership of the King, has built several long-distance roads to bitumen standards.

They include the Luve-Dvokolwako Road, Buhleni-Msahweni Road, Sicunusa-Nhlangano Road, Mhlabubovu-Mankayane road and several others. Buhleni, in the northern part of the country, is becoming a town at the directive of the King. The value of projects presently being undertaken at Buhleni are in excess of a billion Emalangeni.They include a mall, filling station, police station, road infrastructure, supermarkets, etc. As we criticise, we can also see some positives.  

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