PM FAILS TO NAME CABAL, QUESTIONS THOSE DEMANDING DISCLOSURE

LOBAMBA – The prime minister (PM) has failed to name the cabal, instead, he questioned the stand of those demanding the disclosure.

Yesterday, during the Annual Performance Report for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 Budget Debate of the Prime Minister’s (PM) Office by the Senate Portfolio Committee, the Prime Minister, Russell Dlamini, was pressed by senators to explain his remarks concerning the existence of a cabal that controls Parliament and the media.

The PM was asked to name the members of the cabal, as the broad statement he made over the weekend was hindering parliamentarians from fulfilling their constitutional mandate.

However, the PM did not disclose any names, but alluded to the existence of intelligence information pointing to the cabal’s existence. He then questioned the motives behind the parliamentarians’ demand for him to identify the cabal.

Controls

During the debate, Senator Siphelele Mkhonta noted that the PM had been quoted in media outlets stating that a cabal controls Parliament.

The senator explained that his question was based on his constitutional mandate to provide oversight on the executive. He questioned whether the PM was implying that Parliament was also controlled by the cabal.

He referred to Parliament as an honourable institution, comprised of Members of Parliament (MPs) elected by the public through democratic elections, and appointed senators and MPs, including princes, princesses and chiefs.

“Please clarify this statement and give the people of Eswatini a clear understanding of the cabal. As we sit here, we are even afraid to ask questions, as we may find ourselves being labelled as those controlled by the cabal. This worries us as parliamentarians, because we have a constitutional mandate to deliver. The entire nation wants to know who the cabal is. Therefore, I implore the PM to name the cabal whose intentions are not aligned with government. Please also tell us what the cabal wants in Parliament,” he said.

As the senator asked his question, some senators, members of the portfolio committee, faced down, while others looked at him with straight faces and expressions of surprise.

Senator Lindiwe Ngwenya acknowledged the PM’s claims about the existence of a cabal. The senator said she was hopeful that the PM would swiftly address the issue, as he knows who the cabal is. The senator said if the PM quickly addressed the cabal, they would be able to assist the nation, as being a parliamentarian requires a certain level of diplomacy.

In response, the PM began by defining a cabal, stating that it is a secret political clique or faction, or a small group of people who create a secret plot.

“We cannot run away from the truth; there is a cabal in Eswatini. I request that the senators understand that the PM’s Office has various levels of intelligence from different entities. Therefore, the office is privileged to receive information that is not accessible to everyone. So, when the PM’s Office communicates that there is a cabal, it is speaking from an informed position and has evidence.

“What is unfortunate is that some people in the cabal are very much aware that they are serving it, while others are unaware that they support the cabal or are part of it,” he said.

Parable

The PM also presented a parable about the stealing of cattle and goats, and the attack on the person who raised the alarm about the livestock theft. He said it was unfortunate that instead of people uniting to fight the livestock theft, they denied the crime.

Dlamini said if people attacked the individual who raised the alarm about the livestock theft, they were protecting the cattle rustlers. The PM said with that mentality, the people who protect the rustlers would wake up one day with empty kraals.

In the context of the cabal, the PM could be understood as saying that it was unfortunate that instead of uniting to deal with the cabal, he was attacked for saying there is a cabal.

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