Madam,
We are now well within the year, and the cautious hope held by citizens at the start of 2026 is shifting towards a demand for consistent accountability.
While the Speech from the Throne set a high bar for urgency with the ‘nkwe!’ directive and the budget speech has since been tabled, we are finally seeing the first signs of movement.
The recent delivery of medicines to health facilities across the country by the Ministry of Health, following the King’s Speech from the Throne during the opening of the Third Session of the 12th Parliament, is a commendable first step; however, one success must not lead to complacency.
It is also worth noting that the inflation rate has dropped from 2.9 per cent to 1.9 per cent as of February. While this looks positive on paper, the real measure of success is whether emaSwati are feeling the impact in their pockets.
Prices of food, fuel and basic services remain a burden for many. Although the pace of price increases has slowed, government must ensure that this macroeconomic shift translates into lower costs at the till. We hope this trend continues and that the ‘nkwe!’ spirit is applied to aggressive price monitoring to ensure businesses pass these savings on towards the consumer.
In terms of service delivery, there are promising signs of progress that deserve recognition. The opening of Mshinande Clinic is a great step forward, and the recent awarding of a tender to a South African firm to upgrade our roads is equally encouraging. This infrastructure boost is a promising move that will not only improve travel, but also provide much-needed job opportunities for our people. However, the standards set by these projects and the recent medicine distribution must be emulated across all sectors. Resources must reach their intended destinations without delay: Sustainability must be the goal, ensuring that roads are maintained and clinics remain stocked.
Youth unemployment must move from discussion to action. The statistics remain staggering: Approximately 25 000 young people enter the labour market each year, yet only about 1 000 formal jobs are created annually. With youth unemployment hovering above 50 per cent, we are facing a crisis of ‘learned helplessness’ that cannot be ignored. While the 2026/27 National Budget has allocated billions to economic affairs, the actual delivery of accessible financing and procurement opportunities for youth-led businesses remains slow.
The cost of this inaction is no longer theoretical: It is a direct threat to our social fabric. When thousands of energetic minds are left idle, it inevitably leads to a rise in crime and substance abuse. Furthermore, the mental health toll is devastating: Recent studies indicate that youth account for over 50 per cent of all mental health cases in the country, with many suffering from depression and anxiety linked directly to their lack of prospects.
Employment is not merely an economic issue: It is a matter of national security and public health. We hope the ‘nkwe!’ spirit will be applied to job creation with the same urgency seen in the health sector.
Finally, corruption and poor governance must be confronted decisively. The prime minister himself has recently noted that corruption remains a significant barrier to our national development, yet the urgency demanded from the Throne is often lost within our oversight institutions.
Protecting whistle-blowers and ensuring consequences for wrongdoing would signal that government is serious about reform. However, a major bottleneck remains the Judiciary: The snail’s pace in sorting out the backlog of cases is setting the country’s ‘nkwe!’ mandate back. When justice is delayed, it denies closure to the public and allows those who misuse funds to do so with perceived impunity. We cannot claim to be moving at a ‘run’ while our legal system remains at a crawl. Clean governance benefits everyone, especially the poor who suffer most when public funds are misused.
Consistency, honesty and people-centred leadership are what Eswatini needs right now. If government focuses on easing daily hardships with the same focus recently shown in infrastructure and health, the remainder of the year can bring genuine progress. Citizens stand ready to contribute, but they also expect their voices to be heard and their dignity respected.
We are now well within the year, and the cautious hope held by citizens at the start of 2026 is shifting towards a demand for consistent accountability.
