MBABANE:Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini urged countries around the world to embrace the Tinkhundla undemocratic system of Governance when addressing the third(3rd) Annual Meeting of the Global Council for Political Renewal (GCPR) held in Belgium-Brussels this week.
Worth-noting, under the ruling eSwatini Tinkhundla undemocratic system of Governance, political parties are banned from participating in elections, Members of Parliament(MPs) are arrested for challenging or holding the Monarchy accountable while independent journalists, political activists and human rights defenders are also arrested, tortured or even killed for demanding democratic reforms.
Two(2) pro-democracy Members of Parliament(MPs) Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube were convicted on politically motivated terrorism charges merely for, demanding democratic reforms inside Parliament.
The tiny Kingdom situated in Southern Africa where about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line, is ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch with Executive, Judicial and Legislative powers.
“As we gather here today under the theme of ethics, justice, and peace, I urge us all to appreciate the uniqueness of governance structures across the world. True political renewal is not in the forced conformity to a single model, but in the willingness to embrace different approaches that work for different societies.Our world is stronger when we respect and celebrate diversity in governance. Our experiences have shown that respect for tradition, coupled with openness to constructive dialogue, provides a strong foundation for social cohesion and national development”, said the PM as quoted by Government online platforms.
But eSwatini is one of the most unequal countries in the world, the country is also relying heavily, on foreign donors to fund social programs while the Tinkhundla system promotes a culture of rampant corruption with impunity.
The country is also struggling with a collapsed health crisis amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals and despite the availability of forensic reports and recommendations from the Parliament Public Accounts Committee(PAC), law enforcement agencies have been struggling to arrest suspects allegedly linked to King Mswati.
Eswatini has the most stable and effective revenue collection institution known as the Eswatini Revenue Service(ERS) however, taxes does not fund the social programs for the benefit of the people instead, public funds are used to sustain King Mswati’s lavish lifestyle while donors fund social programs.
Currently, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister(DPM) Thulisile Dladla-Motsa is collecting millions from donors to build houses for the poor while on the other, King Mswati, his children and loyalists, spend millions on international trips as part of the ongoing rampant looting.
Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini(pic: Gov).