The World Bank, in it’s recently launched Eswatini Public Finance Review Report, noted the inefficiency of domestic revenue collection in the country, resulting to the heavy reliance on the Southern African Customs Union(SACU) receipts.
Perhaps, it is important to state that in this country, taxes are collected but those public funds are not utilized for the benefit of the taxpayers but King Mswati and his royal family.
Therefore, even before we encourage the strengthening of domestic revenue collection systems, the fundamental question regarding King Mswati’s extravagant spending cannot be ignored because, the uncontrolled royal expenditure outside the public accountability systems,undermines social and economic development in this country.
Indeed, the King’s extravagant lifestyle has been, over the years, draining billions from public funds, resulting to a deficit and/or heavy reliance on foreign donor funding.
It doesn’t make sense to complain about the withdrawal of donors when the country is spending billions, funding the royal family, taxpayers money must be utilized and, prioritized for the welfare of emaSwati not one man.
As the situation stands, Neal Rijikernberg,the Minister of Finance must consider reducing the King’s budget,it won’t be easy because Mswati is addicted to money but, there’s absolutely no alternative.
Even when one prepares a domestic budget at family level, the lifestyle of the family members, should not exceed the amount of revenue or salaries otherwise,that would trigger a deficit and the family members will find themselves surviving with a shylock loan.
The withdrawal of the United States Agency for International Development(USAID) funding suggests that, Government must use taxpapers money to fund all the health programs previously supported by donors, otherwise if a larger percentage of the population lives below the poverty line, political chaos will subsequently erupt.
We must not pretend as if this country is poor, the available resources including taxes,are sufficient to sustain the lives of emaSwati.
King Mswati(pic: Gov).