Swazi Observer

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â€˜BIRDSâ€™ THE COUNTRYâ€™S STRESS RELIEVERS!

By Kenneth Dlamini | 2018-03-09

WITH so much negativity and depressing news going on, this country could certainly do with some positive news and heroes – thanks to Mbabane Swallows, they have assumed that position of being the country’s stress relievers.

What with the country’s major newspapers full of polony stories everywhere after an order was made to rid our fridges and store shelves of processed meats in what has been described as the biggest listeriosis outbreak this continent has ever seen.

Just when we were still focusing on that, then came government and announced the introduction of new taxes, including VAT, which has been hiked to 15 per cent and the electricity tax which is also at 15 per cent.

As if that was not enough, government has gone on to increase other taxes, including the graded tax, which former Finance Minister Majozi Sithole said it was being removed years ago. It’s a whole mess!

Before that, the country was littered with stories of payment of TV licences, which gripped the nation until a reprieve of a month in the form of a grace period was made last week. Imagine, do we ever get rest?

There’s a lot more going on in this country, which has brought instability to the nation and it makes you wonder what’s going on. Not to mention the gruesome murders, rampant rape and violent cases against women and children. So, with all of that then comes Mbabane Swallows, who have consistently delivered heart-warming performances whenever they are representing the country in continental competitions. Over the past year and in this year’s campaign, Swallows have put on astounding performances, one after the other, making sure they flew the country’s flag at full mast in CAF competitions. After last year’s African adventure, where they captivated the nation with some scintillating displays, Swallows are now doing it on a bigger and more glamorous stage – the CAF Champions League. They are in fact 90 minutes away from making more history, not for themselves but for the country, by being the first Swazi team to qualify for the group stages of the Orange CAF Champions League.

That would be a monumental achievement which would surpass everything the ‘Beautiful Birds’ have done so far or continue to do for the country. They would feature in a draw amongst the 16 best teams in the continent. And that ticket comes along with a E6.6 million bounty. But, shall I hasten to add that everything depends on Swallows bettering the result of Zambia’s Zanaco FC in the second leg.

That they have already made history by being the first Swazi team, including at national level, to win away in Zambia is now history in itself. They need to regroup, focus and execute a perfect game plan to dislodge the Bankers of Zambia. Just to throw a word of caution, what Swallows have done should be embraced and celebrated by all Swazis. The reports that a certain team or teams colluded with Basotho side Bantu FC to beat Swallows 3-1 recently, are disturbing to say the least.

Why can’t we celebrate our own as Swazis? Why would people go such lengths to celebrate with a foreign team just to despise our own?

What’s more disturbing is that this is a certain security force team, which in all honesty you wonder at their motive for doing this.

Are they literally fighting against the country? His Majesty the King was recently quoted during the late Swallows’ El Supremo Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze’s funeral, saying Swallows should carry on the baton and bring continental success to the country, which was Gamedze’s dream all along. But to hear that police officers schemed with foreigners and plotted Swallows’ defeat is not only distasteful but more rebellious.

To make matters worse, this team has not come out to dispel the disturbing news or even attempt to put matters into correct perspective. Can we really trust these people with our national security? Sell outs!

It goes to show the calibre of scoundrels we harbour in our security forces; they must just leave Swallows alone.

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