PM OPEN TO DEBATE TO ATTAIN POLITICAL STABILITY

MBABANE – Prime Minister (PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini says political stability may not be easy to achieve but it is attainable.

Dlamini said there were risks involved in attaining political stability. During a live interview with Eswatini Television senior editor John Molelekeng, on Wednesday, Dlamini said engagement with each other was the best option for maintaining peace, despite differences based on political affiliation. The PM was responding to a question on what he thought should be done to ensure that Eswatini continued to be a peaceful country.

He said it was important to allow people with different political views to state their case, without engaging in a fight. “I believe that if you and I were to sit here and have a debate on which political system was the best, I would then have to explain the reasons for my conviction. After that, I need to give you the opportunity to state why you feel another system is better,” he said. He said on merit, one might possibly win the debate, despite that some people may feel that such an individual did not make sense.

He said media platforms, such as Eswatini TV, could create a safe space for debates. “I am saying a safe space because when the debates take place, some of the participants end up using vulgar language when they realise that they are losing,” he said. He said during the debates; “Let the best idea win.” Dlamini said he believed that emaSwati had the best ideas due to the fact that this was one of the countries that had maintained its culture and traditions. “We have the best ideas and ways of handling our issues.” He further stated that financial stability was one way in which the country would come out of the challenges it faced.

Political analyst Mbho Shongwe says there is a difference between a debate and a dialogue. He was responding to Prime Minister (PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini’s assertion that having debates on certain political issues was one of the risks to be taken by any country to attain political stability. Shongwe said during debates, participants chose which side they wanted to support. He said this, at times, did not bear solutions. On the issue of dialogue, Shongwe said this was an essential means to address issues of national interest. “On national interest issues, we only need a dialogue and not debates in order to formulate policies, government development, and how citizens must be governed. A dialogue must be open and not one-sided to avoid a situation in which the one with the upper hand would have the final say. This does not help anyone, but causes wars in most countries,” said Shongwe.

He said the country needed a dialogue, following the June/July 2021 political unrest, where some people lost their lives and property. The dialogue was announced in 2021 after the tragedy by government. According to Shongwe, the dialogue would help in finding out the cause of the unrest, the people involved, or those who were responsible for the unrest. “People died during the unrest. The government was present at that time, but we are not told exactly what happened. We are told that the unrest came as a result of terrorists, but we are not informed of who they are,” Shongwe said. He said emaSwati were the ones in need of the dialogue. “The dialogue is supposed to take place in a conducive environment, so that everyone can be free when making submissions. YemaSwati le dialogue,” he said.

Policy

Also, former UNESWA political lecturer Professor Qambukusa Magagula said there was a boardroom debate, shaping the policy that was supposed to be developed. He said such a debate was not only held for fun, but to come up with solutions regarding issues revolving around the politics of that country. Regarding the political system, Magagula said there was a ‘boardroom debate’ conducted by the government. He said in this kind of debate, the government had the final say, thus sidelining the views of the outsiders on the issues being addressed. “Sometimes, the ruling government listens to the views of the other parties, but not to their satisfaction,” he said. According to Magagula, any country not willing to have discussions was heading for disaster. “Conversation is what builds any society. Kuyakhulunyiswana,” he said.
 

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