By Mduduzi Hlophe

MBABANE: Pius Vilakati, the Spokeseperson of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) says Royalty is using hunger to manipulate and control the Swazi Nation.

This comes after media reports suggest that Royalty was distributing pieces of meat to the imbali regiment  across the Shiselweni region, the meat was allegedly meant for the Umhlanga ceremony that was supposed to be held at the Mbangweni Royal Residence in that region.

Speaking during an interview with this Swaziland News on Friday, the CPS spokesperson said the economy is on the King’s hands who in turn serve bread crumbs to the people.

‘‘As communists we believe that the economy belongs to the people, they should work and contribute to the economy and then become entitled to free amenities like education and medical care. But in Eswatini, the King has grabbed the economy to himself, subjected the masses to hunger and poverty then later served them bread crumbs. He is taking advantage of the masses that he himself,  pushed into poverty, he then throws at them a few pieces of meat and cheap clothing items like sneakers and jackets just to control them. As the CPS we are against such greed and corruption’’, said the Spokesperson.

Vilakati further mentioned that Tibiyo was supposed to be a public institution that could be used to alleviate poverty by paying university tuition fees for swazi children.

‘‘However, the King doesn’t want people to be financially independent because he fears that he will lose control over them. That is why he even hijacks donated funds so that the people could believe the money comes from him’’, the CPS Spokesperson said.

Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) President Sibongile Mazibuko in an earlier interview with this publication said the meat packages that are being distributed to the imbali regiment across the Shiselweni seem to be ritualistic as opposed to a charity cause.

‘‘This looks like a ritual, as a Congress ,we believe the over E 500 million that was initially budgeted for the Umhlanga ceremony could have been used to buy decent food parcels for the imbali regiment. We need to consider the fact that the State usually spends about E 700 in food for each of the 100 000 imbali for the week long ceremony, it would have been proper to distribute food parcels worth  that E700 for each imbali or alternatively send mobile mobile  to each deserving imbali regiment. This would have gone a long way instead of these few pieces of meat that are being distributed,’’ said the NNLC President.

The NNLC President also added that the current regime is using hunger to control the nation when considering the fact that about 20 000 imbali regiment from the Shiselweni will share 8 slaughtered cattle.

‘‘ Royalty is offering the few pieces of meat so the youth  could remain submissive, we want the youth to get scholarships and jobs so they can be free from poverty instead of relying on meat that this offered by the king’, the NNLC President.