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A Sthe excitement builds up towards the prospects of a new and improved Eswatini, courtesy of the anticipated SADC-led dialogue, or negotiations, whatever the difference is, I keep asking myself what institution and mindset shifts we should be looking forward to. Those like me, who believe this country has the potential to be way better than it is, from a socio-political and economic point of view, need to understand that it is not only a change in the power dynamics that will magically turn the country into the Switzerland of Africa or indeed the utopic First World country a section of our population fantasised we would have transformed into this year.

Changes

Coupled with institutional changes, and even more importantly, is the need to have a change of psyche in every liSwati from every walk of life. The Bible speaks of how new wine cannot be poured into old wineskins because they will burst. If we were to get into a new dispensation, however, far-fetched that may appear at the moment, with our old predominant mindsets, we would do more damage to this country than has been witnessed under the present and past leadership. There are many examples, the world over, where a change in leadership and systems did not deliver the desired change as people expected it to be.

I am a firm believer that everything stands and falls in leadership. However, I also believe that leaders are a product of the followed, if you will, and that attitudes, values and practices, in more ways than one, are a reflection of the masses. Entrusted with power, the ordinary human being needs to be reined not to have unfettered latitude to do as he pleases, often to the detriment of the collective.

What the collective allows, even by silence acquiescence, will go and in no time become institutionalised. What the collective desires, they have the power to demand and influence into actuality. What I am trying to say in short, is that the society we live in, with all its ills and strengths, is the making of no one else but us the collective.

Think

We need to think deep about how we envision a new Eswatini to be like. Detached, for a moment, from the shenanigans of our leaders, we need to think about what each one can do to make this nation great.

As workers, students, pensioners; as mothers and fathers; as leaders in our own little spaces, what can we do? What value system do we want to inculcate in this process of renewal that has the potential of making each of us proud to be emaSwati. We cannot look to Hospital Hill for all the solutions to our problems.

Democratisation of this country does not, in and of itself, change the lackadaisical attitude towards work that we see in, for instance, the public service.

While effective performance management systems can contribute to that, to some extent, we need the culture of service and excellence to come from a deep sense of duty and patriotism that transcends any man-made system of human management. Imagine, if you will, a public service swelled with men and women whose pride and joy is in giving excellent service to the citizenry without the need to be encouraged through ‘cool drink’ incentives. Imagine what experiences we would have in schools and hospitals. This does not mean at all that I have conveniently forgotten the appalling working conditions most of our public servants find themselves in. However, we can still do better in serving the citizenry, even under these conditions.

Transforming

Transforming a nation is a process; a real labour of love. We cannot, therefore, think we will surprise ourselves and change as though under a spell of a magic wand. We must take responsibility for the changes we can begin to implement at micro level. Keeping the country clean, for example, needs a change of attitude far more than it needs the enactment and implementation of laws and regulations that force people to comply. If we cannot be tolerant to divergent views from other family members and engender a culture of consultation that projects itself even at national scale. So, as the national processes begin, let’s allow ourselves a chance to introspect and decide what future we are creating for our children. Let’s take care of the things we can take care of and demand what we should from the leadership. We cannot expect of others what cannot be expected of ourselves. Our actions or lack thereof, as ordinary emaSwati, are a great part of what will define the Eswatini we want.