PRAYING FOR A PEOPLE-CENTRED BUDGET

TODAY, I would like us to think aloud on two issues. The clergy’s response to President Donald Trump gender issues and my wishes for a pro-poor budget. The Church is playing a vital part in the life of emaSwati.  It is interesting that some of the clergy have come out to support President Trump on gender, especially in that his administration will recognise only female and male.  I have no problem when church leaders take a position based on how they interpret scriptures. My problem is that emaSwati are beset with so many socio-economic and political challenges.  The country is recovering from serious floods where lives were lost.  Was the Church visible in standing with emaSwati as they faced such challenges?  

President Trump has frozen aid, which is critical in keeping the health of thousands emaSwati who live with HIV/AIDS.  Are the Church leaders opting to keep silent when thousands of lives will be threatened?  I have not heard Church leaders engaging government to redirect budget to minimise impact of President Trump aid freeze.  Also, to note is that the country is suffering from perennial health crisis, where emaSwati have lost lives.  Did the church leaders stand up to defend the poor and vulnerable deprived of the very life that is guaranteed as a right in the country’s Constitution?  I plead with the Church leaders to stand with the poor and vulnerable as Christ would. 

In Luke 4:8 Jesus said ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free’. This  the Church’s  mission. The nation is now eagerly anticipating the budget speech to be delivered by the Hon Minister for Finance.  The Budget Speech is the most critical national event,  that should ideally attract focus from all sectors of society.  It is the occasion in which the nation will know how government  of  the day inform the nation has allocated funds at her disposal.  

The budget is expected to align with priorities that government has set for the five years it will be in office. I must say I am disappointed that emaSwati, once again, have not been given an opportunity to articulate their views on what they expect the Minister to address in his budget speech. The Open Budget survey, which the Co-ordinating Assembly for NGOs (CANGO) has played a key role, is the world independent, comparative and fact based research instrument that uses international accepted criteria to assess public access to central government budget information, formal opportunities for public to participate in the national budget process and the role of oversight institutions such as legislature and Auditor General.  

On transparency Eswatini was ranked 30 out of 100 in the 2023 report.  On public participation the country scored 2 out of 100.  On oversight the country scored 44 out of 100. It is concerning that government has once again not provided mechanism and platforms for the public to add their views on the national budget.  The Ministry of Finance has not targeted vulnerable groups to engage budget.  Civil Society has not been invited, as per the recommendations, to testify during the Auditor General Report.  

What I hope the ministers budget will focus on?

Unemployment

Eswatini faces unprecedented unemployment challenges, especially facing the youth,  at an estimated at 58 per cent. The unemployment problem has become a national emergency.  To this end, the budget should be clear how it will stimulate employment especially targeting young people.  This budget should facilitate the absorption of temporal teachers so that they are permanently employed. The idle health workers like nurses should also be employed among other critical service delivery ministries. The private sector should be incentivised also to employ more young people, while the Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund should be allocated more budget to fund youth-led businesses.

Investing in social services

The budget should also focus on education, health and social protection.  The budget should enable the Ministry of Health to address the crisis that has been brought about by the aid freeze by the United States Government, under President Trump. While the generosity of the American people is appreciated, it is clear that it is time Eswatini must not depend on aid to finance its people’s health. Provision of scholarships to students and the allowances to be paid on time is one of the areas the budget speech should speak to.  His Majesty has already announced increase in social grants.  The honourable minister will hopefully announce an increase that will enable the elderly to meet basic needs, as many are using grants to cushion families.

Fighting Corruption  

Corruption, a pervasive  cancer, is destroying our Country. It erodes trust in government, undermines economic development  and exacerbates social inequalities. The Anti-corruption Commission, tasked with combating this scourge, should be allocated more resources to effectively investigate and prosecute corrupt officials, ensuring accountability and justice prevail.

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