LAST YEAR’S MISTAKES
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7 is unfortunate that in times like this, when fear and violence rule the nation, our leaders still take things for granted.
This goes for all levels of our leadership, from the very top right to the traditional leaders at community level.
Their virtual thermometers seem to give a different reading of the country’s political temperature.
Deputy Prime Minister DPM Themba Masuku had the unenviable task of holding the reins this past week when the mass democratic movement had planned to hold `the mother of all marches’ to the High Court in Mbabane, to demand the release of jailed Members of Parliament MPs Mthandeni Dube and %acede Mabu]a.
The march was billed for Tuesday, November , 0 .
Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini left the country for Egypt days before this date, leaving Masuku in charge of government.
,ncidentally, Masuku was also acting PM when the -une -uly riots erupted last year.
This could have been Masuku’s turn to handle the situation better than last year.
However, in the week leading to November , he once again seemed to miss the point that emaSwati were now in a precarious state of mind where they do not take kindly to reckless talk.
,nstead, Masuku asked, “Should we dialogue with terrorists"´ when responding to Tuestions from senators who wanted to know what government was doing to address the wave of violence and arson around the country.
He forgot that calls for dialogue began long before any terrorist acts were witnessed but government kept delaying this important e[ercise.
Even at the height of the chaos last Tuesday and :ednesday, Masuku still had unkind words when being careful would have worked.
After a number of unarmed citi]ens were shot by soldiers on Tuesday, he said “)rom this e[perience, government hopes emaSwati will learn not to take instructions and orders from faceless people.´
These were words from the same man who promised that people who ventured out of their homes would be safe.