By Zweli Martin Dlamini

The Social Accountability framework presented by the Director of Decentralization in the Ministry of Tinkhundla to Chiefs and BatfwabeNkhosi this week, is another piece of political ‘nonsense’ by the system meant to pool the wool in the eyes of the unsuspecting citizens.

Perhaps,it is important to define the objective context behind the establishment of the Tinkhundla system, this is a system of governance whose fundamental objective is strengthen dictatorship and/or royal supremacy.

Accountability can only be achieved or practiced through a democratic system of governance with fully fledged democratic institutions that promotes checks and balances.

In my line of duty as a journalist, I once interviewed Dumsani Sithole, the Director of Decentralization in the Ministry of Tinkhundla, he is a brilliant economist with the ability to prepare and present comprehensive frameworks which, if implemented, can enhance social and economic development.

But, Sithole is working for a system that always strive to portray itself as democratic when in fact, it represents oppression, poverty and/or dictatorship.

Worth-noting,the Social Accountability framework presented by Sithole to the Chiefs in the Lubombo region suggests that,Members of Parliament(MPs) are expected to account to the electorate, this cannot be achieved in a country where even the same MPs are banned from using the State media to communicate mere developments policies with the people who elected them.

Accountability cannot be achieved by summoning citizens to iMiphakatsi, people must be free to speak politics and question those in power regarding issues affecting their welfare and to achieve this, among others, the media, as a critical institution that promotes transparency and accountability, must be free to report on issues of governance.

In conclusion and in light of the aforementioned,perhaps it important to state that, the Tinkhundla system in its current form, cannot in anyway,  enhance or promote accountability but it’s a system meant to ensure that, elected MPs submits to the authority of King Mswati.