WOVEN INTO THE VERY FABRIC OF SWATI LIFE

I reference the story published in the Times of Eswatini on February 11, 2025 in relation to cattle for the tetfulo. I have often written about the scourge of corruption in this beautiful kingdom of ours and how we need to be deliberate in our efforts to tackle the problem of corruption. I have always argued that corruption is one of the binding constraints to our progress and growth prospects as a country. As such we need to tackle it by the horns for progress, however, it would seem that the people we ought to trust with reversing the spread are complicit. If our Cabinet fails to separate themselves from their persons and cabinet officers then we have an even bigger problem.

Self and public office

It is imperative that our public officers are able to separate themselves and exist independently between the self and the public office bearer. Blurring the lines between the two opens up avenues for corruption. Cabinet went to deliver tetfulo, not as public office bearers but in their individual capacity. I do not believe there is a constitutional mandate for cabinet to present tetfulo to the sovereign for discharge of constitutional role.

Therefore, in my view based on good governance principles and oversight principles. It was very wrong for cabinet to instruct the honourable minister for Agriculture to round up, or canvas for the cattle in his capacity as the minister. I strongly believe that this entanglement between self and public office bearer has actually led to a corrupt practice in concert by the entire Cabinet.

Abuse of authority

I may not be privy to the operations of Sisa ranches, however, I believe it was very wrong for the Ministry of Agriculture to release the cattle without having received full payment for same. This anomaly arises because cabinet officers collectively failed to separate self from public office bearers. Under normal circumstances I do not believe the officers at the Sisa ranch would have released the cattle without full payment and without the consent of the farmers. 

Contractually, all parties should agree to a transaction and also on the premium, in which the transaction is executed. This presents itself as an utter abuse of power by cabinet and because it is commanded by the minister an anomaly was permitted to continue. Also, the report is not clear on who is paying and what role does the government spokesperson have to play in private matters of Cabinet?

Who is paying?

The minister for Agriculture is on record stating that full payment for the cattle has not been executed because one Cabinet minister has not paid. On the other hand there is the government spokesperson weighing in on the issue stating that only two farmers have not been paid. One is said to have been paid in part, while the other is said to have submitted an erroneous bank account number.

I have two questions here, is the tax payer’s money paying for these cattle or are the cabinet ministers paying for this cattle? If cabinet is paying out of pocket for the cattle, how is it a function of the government public relations officer to weigh in? Can Cabinet correct this anomaly by making a public declaration with proof of payments that they indeed paid for the cattle using their own funds. This shouldn’t be so hard to do and the nation requires this proof to rebuild faith on Cabinet and their willingness to address the problem of corruption facing the country.

Faith

A question that begs an answer is can we have faith in this Cabinet to combat corruption in the kingdom? If all 20 members of cabinet collectively agreed to flout due process and engage in a questionable transaction, then I have no faith that this cabinet will do what it takes to get the country out of the corruption quagmire. This occurrence brings to mind a question of how many times has cabinet acting in concert flouted due process? How many times has cabinet over-reached and blurred the lines between self and public office bearer.

If a simple Sisa ranch cannot be permitted to operate independently what of the anti-corruption commission and all other state organs? I believe there is a lot of executive over reach, which we are not privy to and this enables corruption with impunity. I urge cabinet to do right by the nation and come out to account for this transaction and present the full document chain to the nation. If not, the auditor general and the anti-corruption commission should look into this and heed to His Majesty’s call to prosecute all those involved in corruption. If it is cabinet that has to go under the exe before anyone else, then let it be and this would actually make a statement and send a bold message to everyone implicit in corruption.

Stop corruption!

The public purse bleeds approximately E90 million to corruption per month, approximating to E1.08 billion per annum. We bleed money equivalent to HIV/AIDS funding into the country by the United States of America. It must stop now!

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