Times Of Swaziland: LOSING CONFIDENCE IN ESWATINI

LOSING CONFIDENCE IN ESWATINI
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The Editor on 14/09/2020 07:09:00


Sir,
I must say a majority of us young people have lost confidence in the country and
the way it is run. We have had cancerous reports that aspiring senators are
asked to fork out money so that they would be nominated. If that is true, which
I believe it is, are these people honourable?
It is very wrong for MPs to want to be paid money before they nominate an
aspiring candidate. Where is their integrity? They are promoting corruption yet
we are worried about corruption in the country. It seems nothing is being done
to curb this scourge.
Image
This is bad for the image of the country. What happens to cases of bribery and
nepotism in the country? A lot is not well and we are sick of it. If you are a
no name like me in the country, the law bites, but if it is a who’s who of the
country, the law becomes a toothless beast.
I’m sorry to say we are not going forward as a country. It is corruption that
destroys the economy of this kingdom, yet Eswatini could be self-sufficient. It
is not my intention to pry on issues of significant people but I believe that
the people we vote into Parliament let us and the country down.
It is clear that it is the big guns who are promoting corruption in the country.
And as such when everyone gets the opportunity for self-enrichment, they are
tempted to have a ride. MPs should be exemplary, they must not, in any way be
involved in corruption.
Challenge
If MPs are more in tune with money than their legislative duties, this country
is hanging on a shoe thread. It is heading for the dogs. It is important also to
challenge this House that aspiring MPs should have a minimal qualification to go
to Parliament and be thoroughly screened. This would help eliminate the so
called rotten potatoes. I say so called because I believe corruption in the
country is so bad that everyone else has become corrupt. In this country it has
become difficult to even report corruption. Even the structures put in place to
help weed out corruption have been quiet. This has made it difficult for
whistle-blowers.
Erica Ndwandwe