When a dictatorship government starts to sink, one of the few phrases uttered before it completely disappears from the political surface is the ‘call for unity’.
Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg, this week concluded his press statement by calling upon citizens of this country to unite against the CoronaVirus.
While his statements might sound genuine, it should be noted that it’s very rare for capitalists like Neal not to mention political dictators to plead with citizens to unite particularly in an ‘every man for himself’ political system like ours, unity remains the language of socialists democractic governments not capitalists.
The Coronavirus is not only levelling the political ground for democratic reforms but the fact that it attacks both the rich, poor, powerful and vulnerable reminds us that all people are human beings, even King Mswati who portrays himself as a god was forced to run into a self-quarantine.
When we exposed the challenges within our health system, we were portrayed as rebels and we hope the world will continue imposing more travel restrictions so that Heads of State who ignore the plight of their people can feel the heat.
It was political stupidity of the highest order to channel more billions into security where it is subsequently laundered to sustain the lavish lifestyle of the royal family, pay traditional healers for the King with some peanuts used to buy guns for security forces.
Now, the question is, if the country invested more money in traditional healers for Mswati, purchasing of weapons for security forces and ignored the health system, can these police and soldiers shoot the coronavirus or conduct surveillance in the air with their drones to protect the Nation?.
It was very embarrassing that a whole Head of State had to run into a self-quarantine when we have been warning him to stop stealing public funds and develop the health facilities, he might soon be a victim of his own political arrogance.
The helicopters from Taiwan, drones for the Intelligence Unit and other security equipment cannot help in defeating the virus, but health care equipment is needed.
While we fear that this virus may destroy the poor, the fact that it affects even the rich and Heads of State made government to take strong action for its eradication. This shows that if poverty was a virus that affects even the rich including political dictators like Mswati, police and soldiers would have long been deployed to eradicate it.
As you read this, people are forced into self-quarantines in the rural areas with no food, no access to clean water and the reality is that they might die of starvation.
King Mswati while relaxing in his self-quarantine, must ask himself what the poor people of this country did to deserve such cruel treatment, Why is the country made to survive with donations from countries like Taiwan when we have our own taxes and mineral resources that are stolen by Mswati to sustain his lavish lifestyle? Can the King and his government provide equipment for the people in the various hospitals as a matter of urgency. Furthermore, government must be prepared to distribute food in places like Lavumisa and other parts of the Lubombo region, forcing people into self-quarantines without something to eat amounts to a crime against humanity.
King Mswati III