By Zweli Martin Dlamini

Over one hundred(100) years ago when Eswatini was under-developed with limited or no electricity in the various communities, there was a gang of criminals who used to camp in the forests and other strategic places at night and, rob people their money.

But before robbing them, members of the criminal gang would heavily assault the victims saying “utsi sidlani?”, and due to their violent conduct and the unfortunate interrogation when robbing people, emaSwati subsequently gave them the nickname; “bosidlani” and this nickname was creatively developed from the phrase “utsi sidlani?”.

Now, Natural Resources and Energy Minister is reportedly manipulating the Eswatini Electricity Company(EEC) Governing Board in an attempt to impose his Zambian son-in-law(uMkhwenyana) Darlington Mwape, the husband of Princess Simile to be part of the highly anticipated multibillion Lubhuku Energy Project.

As a result and in my view, this Natural Resources Minister who was once exposed by this publication for allegedly stealing the “kaoline mineral” in the Shiselweni Region is proving to be a professional “Sidlani”.

But it is such “utsi sidlani” conduct that delayed development projects in this country, we need highly qualified individuals and companies who will manage the Lubhuku Project, “aseyime indzaba yabosidlani”.

It is worth mentioning that, electricity has over the years, evolved to become the backbone of social and economic development.

As a result, people heavily rely on electricity so that their cellphones could function and within the technological innovation of cellphones, they access banking services, weather, news, conduct academic research and use other applications that have since become part of our livelihood.

Without or limited access to electricity, this country will collapse because even the infrastructure for mobile companies that enables us to have access to the network will not function, the State and TV Radio Stations now linked to digital networks, will not function.

In my area LaMgabhi Etiyeni, electricity development started around 1992, I was nine(9) years at the time and I know how life used to be without electricity, even after the installation of the electric poles, it took years for some homestead including my home to have electricity, it was an era of darkness.

Indeed, I remember one day traveling about five(5) kilometers at night to watch the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 at Mdzimba Army Barracks because there was electricity there, other homes were still struggling to afford electricity and own Television(TV) sets.

When I came back from the Mdzimba Army Barracks around 12midnight, it was windy and I heard a strange sound, it a metal object hitting a rock and producing some light in the process, I ran away thinking it’s a ghost(sipoko) and used the long route to reach home.

It was a very traumatic experience to travel at night in a community without electricity, we were afraid of ritual murderers, bosidlani or tipoko, Prince Lonkhokhela’s “sidlani” conduct is literally traumatizing me.

Our country risk going back to that era, we are importing electricity from South Africa and our contract might soon come to an end, we need the Lubhuku and other sustainable electricity generation project as a matter of urgency.

It is therefore my humble appeal to Natural Resources Minister Prince Lonkhokhela to stop interfering in the Lubhuku Energy Project and allow the Electricity Company including the Governing Board to work without interference, “indzaba yekuba ngu-Sidlani aseyime MntfwaneNkhosi sesicabangele lelive”.