Swazi Observer

FULL STORY

LYING IN OUR BEDS

By Mbongeni Mbingo | 2018-03-18

I am certain that the prime minister does not deserve lidlokolo—whatever that phrase means. Just like all emaswati, he deserves better than that.

He deserves, most definitely, a decent home to retire to, for his hard work, dedication and service to King and country.

The prime minister this past week defended himself, and the cost of a retirement home that he is to get once he leaves Hospital Hill. He told Members of Parliament that this retirement home of his, part of the package he is entitled to as set out in the finance circular No.2 of 2013, would not be some kind of shack—lidlokolo.

He also stated that His Majesty the King had already sanctioned the piece of land where this structure would be built, further emphasising that he deserved this house because it was a provision set by the circular.

The PM made these statements inside Parliament where he was defending his portfolio, and found himself having to justify why he will be built a home worth E5.5m. MPs want to slash the cost of the house to E3m, because they feel the house is too expensive.

There is of course beautiful irony with this debate and the PM is very right about being given what was promised to him.

We must not begrudge him of that. At the height of the furore over the first circular, Circular No.1 of 2010, every one of us was quick to dismiss that circular and demanded that a new one be crafted. The argument then was that Cabinet was giving itself expensive packages at the expense of the taxpayers money.

The outcome was that we pleaded with His Majesty the King to have this circular reviewed, with a new one crafted. I find therefore that the PM is justified to defend himself in this issue, particularly because this is an issue of conditions of service that have already been accepted offered. We have to swallow this bitter tool and accept that it is an expensive mistake Swazis made, in their haste or in our fickleness.

The position the Prime Minister has adopted here is quite understandable, but more importantly, it says a lot about us as a country. The real issue here perhaps is that we are faced with a serious fiscal challenge as the coffers are empty. The country cannot afford the luxury any longer and certainly the perks that the circular offers politicians are too expensive right now.

In fact, in contrast, they are shocking, as we all know how desperate the situation is on the ground. For the poor and unemployed, this is difficult to comprehend, and for that we can all agree that Parliament may be right to want to debate this.

This for me is a poignant remind of what is not going right in our country; that we are not sensitive to the plight of the people or being realistic of the challenges on the ground. I have no qualms with the PM being built a home worth E5million especially if it is done above board. The PM is not stealing this money, but it is money that has been set aside for years to be utilised as and when the time comes.

Misdirecting

The debate into the PM’s house therefore partly surprised me, because as far as I can see it, MPs are now misdirecting themselves in this matter, if not getting into the politics of grandstanding.

There is no point, or justification at this point to want to review this issue when we have had a full term to engage in it, and perhaps amicably come to the conclusion that perhaps it could be reduced.

To seek to do it now is nothing more than playing to the gallery and pulling wool over the public’s eyes that MPs are considerate. MPs have looked the other way all along when they have quietly prayed and hoped the PM would keep them in his own thoughts to promote them into Cabinet. They have said nothing all this time about why the house is so costly, and with a few months to the polls are starting to act as though they care. Well, I know they do not. And this, I do not buy. We must see through this skelem of MPs wanting to score some few votes by pretending that suddenly they have grown thick skin and are not afraid to stand up to the head of government. It is cheap and transparent.

Were MPs really thinking, and interested in representing the wishes of the people, they would have long thrown out the circular and then requested permission from His Majesty the King to have the perks reduced—for everyone. It is not proper to just want to deal with the PM’s house as if that is the only expensive thing in that circular. All politicians will benefit from this circular, and they cannot wait to cash in. Yet, they want us to believe that there are concerned with lavish spending?

Challenges

Hhayiphela. They must not. If they are realistic to the challenges we are faced with as a country, they must start with taking a look at their own situation, and then demonstrate that they are capable of putting the country first. After all, we must not lose sight of the fact that these very MPs have some personal vendettas against the prime minister and will use any opportunity to hit back.

Of course, it is worth pointing out that the PM did what is normal under this situation, which is to only look at his interest. Of course, in an ideal world, the PM would have raised his hand and said, you know what, I agree, this looks on the costly side and I will take it to the Head of State. He could settle for something less, considering that in the previous circular, this was not there—so generally, he has benefitted, no matter the price tag of the home we are building him.

One assumes that the PM is using this to prove a point; that his circular was never this expensive to the taxpayer; this is what the people asked for! And I am certain, this is a matter of principle for him. And were that the case, then he is not likely to then bow down and accept these pot-shots by the MPs. In this regard, those people who misled the nation into laying into the perks, and calling for the scrapping of Circular No.1 of 2010 should accept the full blame for this cost. As the Son of Man once said, ‘tikhaleleni nine’; I suppose there is nothing we can do but lie in our beds—after all, this is the bed we made. Perhaps what is left to say is that our government is this broke because there is no one left willing to say this is a lot, thank you! Everyone in government continues to want to benefit; no matter the fiscal position. It is an open secret that this country is financially wobbly, hence the Finance Minister Martin Gobizandla Dlamini looking for every trick in the book to raise revenue. The reality is that there is nothing left in the pot and we are heading for a crunch.

Yet, the body language does not quite suggest that those in government are willing to consider austerity measures, and some spending cuts, including the costly exercises.

People are continuing as normal. They are continuing as though the money is printed.

The real unfortunate thing about the PM’s defence in Parliament this past week was that he did not take a moment to bemoan the situation we are in, and that as a leader of government he should lead by example. That can be the major disappointment, especially given that this government is introducing hikes in user fees as well as the value added tax, as means of raising revenue.

But, he is right, as an employee to demand what the contract stipulates. Cynics would say that that is the kind of leadership that would have kept this economy afloat.

share story