Eswatini a total mess

7

+( prevailing, adverse and antagonistic, political situation that is currently unfolding in the country points to one thing and one thing only.

-udging from recent, upheaval events that are currently engulfing the country, it seems that the people are completely disenchanted and totally discontented with the obtaining system of governance - and its leadership.

/et us be candid here please and call a spade a spade. :e have lived a lie for too long in the country, telling whoever cares to listen that there is peace in this country when in reality, no peace exists at all. It is said that a lie told too often has the propensity to be believed as the truth.

If we are serious about saving this beautiful country of ours from self-inflicted destruction, it will not help us nor do us any good at all to persistently hide under the banner of untruths, and repeatedly claim that there is peace in this country when in reality we all know that the so-called peace is superficial and only a figment of the imagination of those who benefit from the system of government.

7he simmering cauldron of politically motivated strife continues to sporadically claim precious and sacred lives - at the moment. 9aluable structures some which took many years to construct are being intermittently torched. 6tructures of pro-democracy proponents are being bombed. (verything is just a deadly mess. :hy"!

0ake no mistake about it, if we will continue avoiding confronting our demons, and stubbornly postpone putting our house in order, and refuse kukhuhlutisa our heads in unison, sichubeke nalenkhani ye lite, and fail to find solutions to our problems, I tell you, sito cedzana sodwa - period.

SINKING

2ur lives are relentlessly being torn apart by our leaders¶ haughty attitudes looking after their own interests and refusing to take steps that will save the 7itanic from sinking, taking all of us down the deepest depths of the sea.

$s much as we are viewed as commoners, we deserve being given an ear to our cries.

2ur leaders conveniently forget that the /iving *od created us all eTual. :e have dismally failed to lead our people with integrity, love and compassion. 7he people had so much trust in us. :e have let them down - period.

7he simple, but hard-hitting truth is that it is only ourselves who can save us from this self-inflicted destruction - not the inept, and fumbling 6$'&, nor the none existent emadloti, as well as the wretched, blasphemous believe in the occult in which we put our trust in so much, instead of the /iving *od who created the heavens and the earth.

Irrespective of the difficulty or reluctance to accept that winds of change are fiercely blowing across, not only in our tiny country, in the $frican continent, but even globally as well, our failure to accept that it is either we µadjust our sails¶ to modify the circumstances in our own favour in order to better cope with them - or...we sink. 7here is no µifs¶ or µbuts¶ about it.

7he seemingly confused behaviour of our government, manifesting itself in a comedy of errors as it employs threats and heavy-handed tactics in a feeble and pathetic attempt to stop the inevitable, causes some of us to Tuestion the political maturity of our leaders.

2ur government needs to wake up from its complacency, properly read the political mood and come to the party, understanding that any violent reprisals against its own people in a bid to strike fear in them, only does the opposite - it hardens their hearts, and make them more defiant and resilient.

It still does not hit our government right in its mind¶s eye that we are an angry nation. 3oor governance corruption manifesting itself in nepotism, theft of public funds youth unemployment and state sponsored brutality perpetrated on especially the youth as they protest over issues like lack of scholarships, student allowances, continues to make the youth a dangerous and angry generation.

ATTITUDES

If our leadership continues with its attitudes, the anger of the youth will consume them in the not-too-distant future.

$s I see it, the more our government uses the brute, recalcitrant, force of its security apparatus to crush the constitutional rights of freedom of expression, assembly and association of the people, the more it makes out of both the living and the dead, martyrs of the struggle for a better life, proving to the international community that there is absolutely no peace in (swatini.

It is absolutely of no use at all to use force as a tool of negotiation against your own people.

7he writing is on the wall that our people have now crossed the rubicon of tolerance as a result of poor governance, political inefficiency, and a lot more.

7he brutal response to their cries of being given an ear is not working. It makes them more angry.

:hichever way one might look at it, the savage response by our leaders as they try in futility to stamp their authority on a situation that has gone beyond their control, is working against them.

It gets clearer by the day that it is only matters of time before political events explode, blowing everything in their way to smithereens.

7he past week¶s events in 0babane proved beyond any reasonable doubt that our government has lost any semblance of credibility, control - and authority - in its pathetic attempt at calling the people to order.

7he issue of the controversial in the eyes of many people, especially pro-democracy proponents incarceration of the two 0embers of 3arliament, 03s %acede 0abu]a, and 0thandeni 'ube, respectively, continues to stick like a sore thumb.

It has persistently become, among many other issues, a nemesis to government, and has relentlessly become a rallying point and symbol of unity among a majority of the people.

'emands for their unconditional release, as well as wholesale, political and socioeconomic changes are the driving factor behind the capricious, political uncertainty.

PROHIBITED

6ince the issue of the incarceration of the two 03s is under -udicial consideration, and therefore prohibited from public discussion, I will duly refrain from delving deeper into it.

I saw it proper to address the mayhem that unfolded during the course of last week - on 7uesday, to be precise - especially the violent reaction of the country¶s security apparatus on those who went to give moral support to the incarcerated 03s during their trial at the country¶s +igh &ourt in 0babane.

3rior to the proposed march to 0babane, the National &ommissioner N$7&20 of 3olice, :illiam 7sitsibala 'lamini, had ominously warned that the proposed march remained unlawful in the absence of permission from the relevant structures.

+e was Tuoted as having said that, ³for a march to take place, the organisers had to seek permission from the relevant structures, which included municipalities and the police.

2n the other hand, leaders of pro-democracy formations swore on their mothers¶ graves that, µwith or without permission, the mass democratic movement will march to the +igh &ourt today last week, 7uesday ¶, pointing out that they had on numerous occasions tried to follow the laid down procedures but were never given the permission to exercise their right.

7he million 'ollar Tuestion is, or rather, was that, had the political formations eventually applied for a permit to march, was it going to be granted to them or not" -udging from the adversarial mood of both warring partners, it is safe to say it was not going to be granted - period. &hances were high that the political formations knew very well that it was not going to be granted - hence, the defiant stance.

7he die was cast...)rom past experience, some of us predicted that there was bound to be a confrontation - a violent one at that which would inevitably result in serious injuries...or worse.

Ingati was bound kutsi icitseke. 7he country¶s security forces understand only one language - tear gas, rubber bullets, beatings of protesters to a pulp, and sadly, since the -une ,

massacre, use of live ammunition - to talk to the people.

FORMIDABLE FORCE

(vents leading to the march brought in a formidable force into play - the powerful transport workers association.

(verybody knows that once this powerful, no-nonsense force of tsunami proportions down its working tools - public transport - even the haughty government trembles, becoming weak-kneed.

$ couple of days or so before the march, the bustling city of 0an]ini experienced something so spectacular, and appalling when transport workers allegedly torched the 0an]ini %us 5ank 3olice post.

7his was after some of their colleagues were arrested after some assault misdemeanour. 6uch daring!

$ wanton act of thuggery, irrespective of any justification, deserves to be condemned in the strongest terms possible. $s much as there is anger engulfing the whole country, no end justifies the means. No!

2n the day of the march to 0babane, there was confusion as to whether there would be public transport available on the day of the march or not.

It was reported by the (swatini 7imes daily that, µpublic transport workers said they were expecting that there would be no public service vehicles that would be loading passengers to various destinations other than to 0babane.¶

2ne of the public transport workers said, that, ³they believed that going to 0babane would be a solution to their challenges, which were now more political. 7he public transport workers said they were ready for anything and everything as the political challenges of the country were affecting their well-being.

7hen joined the fray the controversial, acting 3rime 0inister, who is also the country¶s 'eputy 3rime 0inister '30 , 7hemba 0asuku, who had this to say ³:e have a very professional security sector which has served the nation well. I know that when faced with anger, aggression, and provocation they will remain calm, while executing their duties professionally..´

:ell. 6orry to burst your bubble, '30.

2nce our government unleashes the notorious, paramilitary 2perations 6upport 6ervices 8nit 2668 as well as the vicious and savage army to, µact professionally by bringing calm¶ even on peacefully demonstrating protesters, expect fireworks. 7he two forces do not take any prisoners. :hen they engage extremely excessive, maximum force, you better run for your life, lest blood flows.

6omething pu]]les me, though. 0ore often than not, when the '30 assumes the acting prime minister role...chaos is likely to ensue. 5emember what happened after the banning of petitions delivery, last year, -une" -ust a thought...

6ome of us cannot forget how a tear gas canister was thrown inside a bus full of passengers at the height of last year¶s, -une unrest. I still get the shivers down my spine when I recall that incident..

TENSION

$llegations from media sources are to the effect that protesters were shot at by security forces, with some protesters abducted, and taken to the /ud]elud]e army barracks where they were allegedly severely, and brutally assaulted with sjamboks by soldiers.

$s threatened by the transport workers, no transport was available, countrywide, especially in all the major towns. 7owns were only occupied by ghosts. 2ur kids did not go to school. 6hops were closed. 6trangely, government had µreassured¶ everyone that 7uesday was a normal working day...

&alm - superficial calm - has returned. 2r has it" I don¶t know about you dear reader, but my feeling is that hovering above us is the inevitable a calm before the storm. Sisato gijima...

7he situation in the country is pregnant with tension. 7he future does not look rosy. I am beginning to be skeptical about the elusive dialogue changing things..

2nce the spectre of violence takes root...eish. I...we pray that our authorities reconsider their hardline stance against dialogue.

It is better that we may rather lose face by agreeing to dialogue with the people than witness the country becoming another 3alestine or 6yria.

$re we up to it" 7ime will tell..In the meantime, asitigcogce bafowethu nabo dzadze. 6ecurity forces are roaming the streets - very mean and dangerous.

)aceless, insurgents are eTually or more" dangerous. If you are a prayer warrior, and adept at praying, dear reader, please pray harder that we all survive the turbulent times that lie ahead.

3eace! Shalom!

(File pic) MPs Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza (L) and Mthandeni Dube in court on Tuesday. The issue of the controversial (in the eyes of many people, especially pro-democracy proponents) incarceration of the two MPs continues to stick like a sore thumb.