By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Dr. Thambo Gina,the Minister of Economic Planning and Development is being groomed by Prime Minister(PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini to take over as the Minister of Finance, an investigation conducted by this Swaziland News reveals.

It has been disclosed that,the PM has divided Cabinet such that,there are Ministers “he wants to remove in strategic Portfolios where he has alleged direct and/or indirect business interests” and replace them with his ‘favourite’ Ministers who just take orders.

Information gathered by this publication suggests that during the recent trip to the World Bank, Dr. Thambo Gina was responsible for compiling a documented list of the delegation but,he allegedly removed Health Minister Mduduzi Matsebula despite the fact that,the World Bank meeting had a heavy health content that “required the attention of the Minister”.

Worth-noting, as the list of the delegation suggests, officials from the Ministry of Health were allowed to travel to New York for the World Bank meeting while their Minister was left behind amid a power-struggle in Cabinet.

Matsebula was replaced by Dr. Nondumiso Ncube,the Executive Director of the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS(NERCHA) who was allegedly appointed by the PM amid the aforementioned power struggle over the control of the multibillion supply of drugs under the Central Medical Stores(CMS).

It is alleged that, the PM wants Dr. Thambo Gina to take over as the Minister of Finance while Mandla Tshauke might be re-deployed to the Ministry of Health where he is highly expected to approve the transfer of the procurement of drugs from the CMS to be under the Prime Minister’s Office.

But an independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News uncovered that,before the Prime Minister started to ‘suffocate’ the Health Minister, a meeting was held in Cabinet where PM Russell Mmiso Dlamini ordered Minister Mduduzi Matsebula to write a letter surrendering the powers to procure drugs to the Prime Minister’s Office,Matsebula vigorously refused.

PM Russell Dlamini allegedly wants to approve tenders for the supply of drugs for the benefit of his alleged business allies from Rwanda, and further maintain Kareem Ashraff’s SwaziPharm as the major eSwatini Government supplier of drugs.

It has been reported by this publication that recently,the PM allegedly blocked Minister Mduduzi Matsebula’s trip to Saudi Arabia where Health Ministers were invited for the Global Health Centre for Disease Control(CDC) Summit, he was replaced with Mandla Tshauke, the Minister of Agriculture who was among Global Health Ministers during the Summit.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News earlier on Sunday afternoon,Mayibongwe Masangane, the Secretary General(SG) of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) said, he was also aware of the international trip where the Health Minister was sidelined in favour of Agriculture Minister Mandla Tshauke despite the fact that, the Conference was for Health Ministers among other invited stakeholders.

“We are not surprised to learn that,the Health Minister is being persecuted and frustrated.Even though we have challenges in the Ministry of Health, he is trying to resolve the crisis.Kusukela afikile nje kukhona lesikubonako lesingakukhomba lakulungisile, yena uyezama mani futsi uyabona lokutsi ufuna kuyilungisa le-health crisis.But anything can happen,he might be removed through a Cabinet reshuffle because the corrupt syndicate is benefiting from the corrupt procurement of drugs, which is huge and well-connected.I am aware of the trip you are talking about where the Minister was sidelined”, said the SWADNU Secretary General.

Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo declined to comment about the matter.

On another note,the factionalism in Cabinet and systematic sabotage of the Minister of Health allegedly,by the Prime Minister,is highly expected to undermine efforts seeking to address the health crisis and ensure the availability of drugs in public hospitals.