DEMOCRACY IS SURVIVAL FOR ESWATINI

Unfortunately, whenever one speaks of democracy in Eswatini, one is immediately linked to the multiparty political movement and labelled ‘labema-party’. However, democracy, in its simplest definition, is the people’s rule as per our constitution. The King derives his power from the people through the constitution. Every country has developed its political system to articulate its culture and traditions, such that China has a one-party system that has achieved great success.

Professor Lumumba, a wellknown public speaker, said we could never be truly free as Africans if we continue to use foreign political systems without local input and elect the ‘worst’ political leaders because we use the wrong parameters, such as money. He might have a point for example when we vote for a candidate who buys us bread eTinkhundleni. Our puppet politicians are forced and controlled by a lack of money and rich foreigners who do not represent or care for the people.

Natural-born leaders killed spiritually
Natural-born leaders are an asset. Until we can allow proper democratic structures to develop and let them flourish, we will not succeed. The Bible talks about spiritual gifts and talents. Leadership qualities in Eswatini are taken for granted and not developed but discouraged. The slogan seems to be phuzuphume (Eat and go, so the next one can eat). You hear people on the campaign trail saying sowudlile akaphume (He/she has eaten; he/she must go). The fact that 90 per cent of our parliamentarians fail to return to Parliament every five years is a bad indictment of our Tinkhundla  System of Government.

It tells me that we have no career politicians and that we are training new politicians every five years. This means old parliamentarians leave with their political knowledge and State secrets into the wilderness every five years; this cannot be good. The monarchy might feel safe that they are getting new loyal, naive newcomers every five years, but it is not in their best interest in the long run.

This is a fight for survival
Decisions that are taken affect many generations to come. We had a huge country under a strong King Mswati II, but now we are a tiny country because, at some point in our history, we had very weak leadership. There is a constant fight for survival as a nation against other nations constantly fighting for control and dominance over us. We have to be shifting and positioning ourselves to come out on top, or we become slaves. Half of tiny Eswatini is Emaplazi (farms) owned by descendants of white settlers who were stronger than our forefathers. We are living in an increasingly complicated and sophisticated world that requires those who read and can grasp this complicated world. There is talk of the new world order and the fourth industrial revolution, which requires that our leaders understand how to lead with wisdom. Democracy helps us to identify and keep people with leadership skills.

Political ambitions mean nothing in Eswatini
Political ambition is the driving force that has created some of the greatest political leaders in history. A young man or woman must be able to dream that one day they can become the prime minister, which is the highest political position in the land. The path to achieving that goal must be clear and well-defined. Yes, we do have a very democratic process of electing parliamentarians even through the Tinkhundla System of Government, but we need to go all the way. It can be argued that the Tinkhundla System of Government might be even better than the multiparty system because it is more representative at the grassroots level, but unfortunately, it is open to financial manipulation by external forces. I can say the same for the election of senators, where royal connections and money talk.

My point is that the royal family, and in particular our monarch, with whom you need to be in good books to advance any political ambition, is not accessible to every Liswati. A young boy or girl who grew up in the townships of Eswatini knows nothing about traditional practices within his own Umphakatsi (if he has one), let alone kubutseka and all the traditional ceremonies. He might not even care much for them, but he loves his country and feels he can contribute politically. His/her educational background and leadership skills might make them the best candidate to lead our country to great heights.

Their leadership skills would tell him that he has to go for kubutseka kaLobamba, which many have done but have gotten nowhere. He might even attend all the traditional ceremonies, but because of his background or wrong surname, he just does not get anywhere. The traditional setting is brutal to city boys and girls; unfortunately, they represent a huge part of Eswatini. Many have been discouraged and even become resentful, developing hate for the system. There is no formal brigade for young emaSwati except Imbali nelusekwane, which is a once-off, annual event.

Chinese democracy has paid off
Democracy entered the Chinese consciousness because it was the form of government used in the West, potentially responsible for the Western industrial, economic and military advancements. So they decided that the constitution of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) constitution would establish a one-party State and that its form of government would be a ‘people’s democratic dictatorship’.

You can tell me all you wish to say negatively about China, but they are an industrial success story. Leadership of the CCP is achieved by merit. According to the BBC, age is very important in China, and if you have not been singled out for high office by the time you are in your mid-twenties, it is probably too late. The two men who became China’s President and Premier, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, both joined the Party at age 21 and have never worked outside it. Formal political education does not start until selected children join the Communist Youth League at 14-years-old, and promising students are eligible for full party membership from 18 years old.

They are selected based on leadership skills and trained as leaders from a young age. From then on, they are democratically voted into various positions of power until they reach the top positions. This is the level of seriousness it takes to be a world leader. The Chinese are coming to dominate us because they are serious about their politics.They do not need opposition political parties constantly opposing them as they develop. They work in unity with no one above the people. They collectively work on each national plan with zero tolerance for corruption. Corruption is death. Three hundred million Chinese were taken out of poverty in two decades.

Comment: septembereswatini@gmail.com

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