By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Kareem Ashraff, the powerful,influential and politically connected SwaziPharm Director allegedly ordered Prime Minister(PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini to block the release of the R30million approved by Parliament to bailout the Luke Commission,with an alleged intention to collapse the now financially struggling health institution and subsequently purchase it at a cheaper price.

These are preliminary findings of an investigation conducted by this Swaziland News as Government delays the release of the bailout due to the Luke Commission as per an Act of Parliament.

It has been disclosed that,subsequent to the approval by Parliament to assist the Luke Commission with R30million,Sifiso Khumalo,the Attorney General(AG) prepared a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) that would allow Government to audit the Luke Commission for purposes of accountability of public funds should a need arise.

The documents were then presented to Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg who approved the release of the funds and successfully presented those documents to Cabinet for adoption.

But after the release of the R30million was approved by Cabinet,Ashraff allegedly ordered Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini to overrule Cabinet and stop the release of the funds.

On Thursday last week,Senator Lizzie Nkosi,the former Minister of Health who allegedly allowed Ashraff to loot billions of public funds was seen in the Cabinet Offices holding a secret meeting with Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini.

But subsequent to the secret meeting with the PM,Senator Lizzie Nkosi was then provided with media mileage by the Sunday Observer to discredit the Luke Commission, the Eswatini Observer is owned by Tibiyo TakaNgwane and edited by alleged Kareem Ashraff’s boy Mbongeni Mbingo.

Reached for comments earlier,Senator Lizzie Nkosi,the then Minister of Health denied being linked to Ashraff.

But an investigation conducted by this publication uncovered that Senator Lizzie Nkosi was actually uttering an outright lie as she was consistently communicating with Ashraff via her cellphone and even receiving night calls.

The former Health Minister who has been allegedly ordered by the powerful and politically connected Kareem Ashraff syndicate to discredit the Luke Commission,was also instrumental in covering-up alleged corruption within the Ministry of Health allegedly,orchestrated by Ashraff by consistently denying the existence of the health crisis while hundreds of emaSwati were dying amid shortage of drugs.

“You are linking me to something that I am not aware-off. You said I’m linked to Ashraff ungisukelelani”, said the Senator after receiving a questionnaire from this Swaziland News.

Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo declined to comment about the matter while Ashraff has been avoiding to respond to questions.

The politically connected businessman had earlier told this journalist that he will arrange for an interview with this publication and respond to all the allegations leveled against him.

But it is alleged that,the Luke Commission has been identified by international partners as a credible institution to supply drugs including oxygen hence Kareem Ashraff’s interest in taking over the institution.

On another note,before Cabinet approved the release of the money that was subsequently blocked allegedly,by Ashraff through the Prime Minister who overruled Cabinet,Marwick Khumalo,the Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament(MP) moved a motion,directing the Minister of Finance Neal Rijikernberg and Health Minister Mduduzi Matsebula to urgently facilitate the release of the R30million allocated to the Luke Commission.

The allocation was approved by Parliament through the Appropriation Act of 2024 after it was discovered that,the Luke Commission hospital that continues to assist emaSwati, was facing financial challenges amid a huge demand for quality health-care services as public hospitals face shortage of drugs.

The Luke Commission was surviving through foreign donors but due to the huge demand for health services,it subsequently ran out of resources and Parliament approved that,the institution must be assisted to continue helping emaSwati while efforts are being made to address the ongoing health crisis.

“The R30million allocation to the Luke Commission was approved by Parliament but we have gathered that certain people in Government are blocking the release of the funds.The Luke Commission is assisting emaSwati particularly the elderly with health services,I cannot keep quiet because the elderly who are receiving assistance there, are very close to my heart.The health institution is now overwhelmed due to the demand for health services”, said the MP.

The Luke Commission has purchased drones to deliver drugs in various parts of the country particularly for patients who “are struggling to reach the hospital”.