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DEAL WITH CORRUPT INDIVIDUALS - KING ORDERS

10/02/2024 07:19:00 Ntombi Mhlongo

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MBABANE – The people have spoken!

His Majesty King Mswati III is not taking lightly the submission made by emaSwati during the Sibaya People’s Parliament, where many of them called for the fight against corruption to be government’s priority. This was evident yesterday during the Official Opening of the First Session of the 12th Parliament, which was marked by the Speech from the Throne, where His Majesty minced no words on the issue of corruption.

Speaking from the Throne, Ingwenyama issued a directive that judgments should be passed on those individuals involved in corruption. The King’s directive, this time around, had an element of decisive actions that should be taken and these rhyme well with the calls made at the Sibaya People’s Parliament.

The directive was profound and even emphasised in vernacular by the King’s Interpreter Sihle Dlamini, who had the whole chamber and gallery in stitches as he used the term ‘bobhabuli’ (catfish) when referring to corrupt individuals.

A notable aspect of the speech is that it is almost similar to the one His Majesty made when he officially opened the first session of the 11th Parliament on February 1, 2019, where he implored all to give credence to sentiments that had been made by the nation at the Sibaya, where all acts of corruption and malpractice were strongly castigated.
His Majesty said if the country was to make a meaningful turnaround to the economy, there was a need to fight, control and eliminate all forms of corruption with punitive measures to protect resources and restore financial stability.

Corrupt

His Majesty’s 2019 speech came after the then Prime Minister, the late Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, who he had appointed three months prior, had issued a strong warning to all corrupt persons and those who abused State funds and resources. The late former PM had issued the warning when he made his maiden address during the swearing-in of Cabinet ministers at the Hospital Hill on November 6, 2019, where he said the net was closing in on all corrupt people as his new government was determined to clean the country.

In a boardroom that was filled with principal secretaries, spouses of ministers, legislators and high-ranking officials, the late former PM’s words were welcomed with a round of applause. As if to prove that indeed His Majesty is deeply worried about corruption, he emphasised around the same time last year when delivering a similar speech that for the country to realise its goals, there was a need for emaSwati to unite against corruption by refusing to be part of any crime and rejecting every type of criminality for the advancement of the nation.

At yesterday’s event, His Majesty highlighted that corruption stood in the way of progress in the nation’s plans, programmes and projects for development. The King said emaSwati have made their voices heard at Sibaya and expressed frustration with the lack of tangible progress in addressing the issue.

Accountable

“We strongly encourage government to prioritise taking action on this matter. It is high time we witness judgments passed on individuals involved in corruption, holding them accountable for their actions. Law enforcement agencies and structures must work together in our quest for zero tolerance for corruption in Eswatini,” the King said.

Worth mentioning is that the former PM, Cleopas Dlamini-led government, is on record having informed the nation early last year that about E90 million is being lost to corruption monthly in the country. This indicates that State resources continue to be lost through corruption and this was supported by findings made by the former Public Accounts Committee (PAC) led by former MP Musa Kunene.

But while the PAC helped government recover over E200 million, nothing was done in terms of prosecuting those found to have had a hand in the irregularities discovered by the Office of the Auditor General (AG).Meanwhile, when delivering the Speech from the Throne yesterday, His Majesty first shared a reflection of the events of the past year and said he was grateful to the Almighty God and ancestors for their guidance and protection that saw the nation through to the new year.

“We have many reasons to celebrate the past year, as it marked a significant double milestone of 55 years since our nation gained Independence and the King’s birthday. We commend emaSwati for the successful national event, which was honoured by other esteemed leaders from the region and beyond,” the King said. Also, the King said of significance to the previous year was the political landscape as it was an election year and emaSwati were able to boldly chart a way forward for the country during Sibaya.

The 2023 national elections, His Majesty said, were a watershed moment in the Kingdom of Eswatini’s history, with over 90 per cent of eligible voters registering and an overwhelming turnout of people who voted. “Under the motto of ‘ngete ngasala nasakha live’ (I will not be left behind) emaSwati responded to the call to vote as part of their contribution to national service. The country as a whole deserves praise for the excellent turnout in an election that was in conformity with all regional and international applicable norms and best practices,” His Majesty said.

The King said it was equally pleasing that the elections under the Tinkhundla System of Government were free and fair and that the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) needed to be commended for what he termed as robust civic voter education initiatives and for facilitating the successful outcome of the elections.

Elaborating, His Majesty recounted that in July before the elections, a call was made on all emaSwati to elect more women and people with disabilities to Parliament and the nation responded positively by increasing their numbers, something which he said was commendable.

Improvements

“We also wish to thank all our media houses and the Royal Science and Technology Park for providing the nation with up-to-date information during the elections and Sibaya. The plan starts now to work on more improvements for our next elections,” the King said. The Speech from the Throne covered a variety of critical sectors, among them being the creation of opportunities for young people.

His Majesty stated that the country’s youth stood as the architects of the nation’s future and was at the core of the vision to attain First World status. However, the King said, the daunting spectre of unemployment engulfed more than half of young people, presenting a formidable challenge that required immediate attention.

His Majesty said it was imperative that the country steadfastly continued to forge pathways and opportunities for young people. “Eswatini has spearheaded numerous initiatives, such as the youth fund, Rural Development Fund, and small-scale and export guarantee schemes.

These endeavours are designed to facilitate access to financing, enabling young entrepreneurs to initiate businesses and, in turn, create employment opportunities,” His Majesty said. Emphasising, His Majesty said the role of quality education and skills development could not be overemphasised in paving the country’s path to the shared prosperity it has envisioned.

The King said creating employment opportunities for young people hinged on the quality of education, right from the lowest grade to the highest level. “We extend heartfelt gratitude to all our development partners who have been unwavering in supporting government’s efforts. The country will continue with its full participation and we shall learn from the great experiences we get in our interactions from our international and regional organisations.”

On another note, and as has been the case in previous years, Their Majesties were presented with five cows by the 12th Parliament, three of which are for His Majesty the King and two for Her Majesty the Indlovukazi.