MPS COMPEL GOVT TO ENSURE DIALOGUE HAPPENS

LOBAMBA - The ongoing violence has pushed Members of Parliament (MPs) to compel government to ensure that dialogue takes place.

Under the current volatile situation in the country that has led to the killing of security forces, the MPs have declared that dialogue ought to take place to address the country’s predicament. It was during the debate of the Prime Minister’s (PM) Office on the report of the first quarter of the financial year, which took place in the House of Assembly yesterday. Some politicians even suggested that it was high time the premier visited constituencies and engaged emaSwati through vusela exercises, to ascertain their grievances and gather solutions to the problems faced in the country. Nkhaba MP Zakhele Magongo highlighted that many emaSwati had died. He said police officers and soldiers had died and it was enough. He asked the PM when it would be conducive for the dialogue to take place. Magongo reiterated that there was a need for dialogue.

Condolences

Lomahasha MP Ndumiso Masimula expressed his condolences to the security forces. Masimula submitted that it was frightening when those responsible for protecting emaSwati were mercilessly killed. He said the only way to address the violence was to engage in dialogue. The legislator stated that the PM had said the environment was not conducive for dialogue. However, he asked what would be done in the meantime until the right time for dialogue. He asked if government would continue watching people die. The MP said evading and doing nothing was not the answer.
“I believe that dialogue is the way to go,” he emphasised. Gilgal MP Kenneth Sandla Fakudze also queried when it would be the appropriate time to engage in the dialogue. He highlighted that it was once stated that the dialogue would take place after last year’s Sibaya. However, he said the nation was soon approaching the next Incwala.

Growth

Manzini North MP Macford Sibandze was of the view that there could be talks of economic growth, but it was as good as nothing as the nation was in a state of fear and emergency. He said everything was not well and there was a need for the PM to conduct a caucus with politicians to come up with solutions to the issues. Sibandze articulated that since June last year to date, the country did not know peace. He said all issues were rectified through dialogue. Meanwhile, the MP asked who was responsible for ensuring a conducive environment for dialogue. He further answered himself, having said that it were politicians. In the same breath, Gege MP Musa Kunene sympathised with emaSwati who had lost their loved ones. Kunene said they had tried as politicians to engage constituents. He implored the PM to do vusela exercises at constituencies as the constituents had asked if the PM engaged them. Kunene mentioned that if the premier could engage emaSwati, strategies to solve the impasse could be raised from the engagements.

Solution

Motshane MP Robert Magongo noted that the PM, in his report and preamble, had alluded to a peaceful solution when they all sought for dialogue. Magongo further quoted the PM as having talked about the nation condemning violence and killings. “You keep talking about dialogue, your excellency. When is it going to take place?” he queried. Magongo further reminded the PM of a time when there was violence in neighbouring Mozambique and a dialogue was held in Portugal. Nhlambeni MP Manzi Zwane noted that after their term of office, there would still be life. He said history would judge them for having finished their term without addressing issues that resulted in the loss of lives of emaSwati.
He said the dialogue was necessary to tackle the issues in the country.

Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo highlighted that the PM came at the toughest time. He mentioned that the premier’s forum was in Parliament. Khumalo advised that he should refrain from talking behind the scenes when addressing matters of national importance. “Let us accept that it didn’t go well. We didn’t take full responsibilities as politicians. We don’t talk about these issues in this Parliament, but we are supposed to own our mistakes,” he said. He said security forces were shot at not because of security issues but political issues. Khumalo encouraged the PM to take his role seriously and champion the cause. “Otherwise all the efforts of going to garner investors from countries is wasted energy. People research the country’s profile on the internet and find this bad picture about the country. “No one owns a copyright to national dialogue or the political franchise. The political franchise is owned by each and every liSwati. Let us sit down and talk, remove hostilities and hate, invite even people in jail, let us come and sit. They have done it in South Africa, why can’t we?” he asked.

Killings

Responding, the PM Cleopas Dlamini, said the people behind the killings were not emaSwati. He further stated that government could not be held at gunpoint and forced to engage in dialogue. The premier stated that the Constitution prohibited them from making decisions willy-nilly, at gunpoint. “No one has denied dialogue. But can you call every liSwati and want them to talk about the killings? I don’t think it is every liSwati who can answer to that,” he said. He further mentioned that government could not go where the wind blew. Instead, the PM said there were certain individuals who needed to engage in dialogue, and these were the people behind the attacks.

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