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LOBAMBA - Some Senators feel that E19 million budgeted for capital projects in the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development is not enough.

The senators were speaking during the annual performance report and budget debate for the 2023/2024 financial year.

Senator Chief Ngalonkhulu Mabuza asked if the over E400 million budget for the ministry was enough. He said he was making reference to the projects and services that were supposed to be provided by the ministry throughout the country. The chief mentioned that the ministry was quiet about the status of other capital projects that involved construction of royal kraals.

On another note, he decried the E19 million for capital projects. The senator said the ministry should be asking for E500 million for capital projects, since they were crucial for emaSwati believing in the Monarchial Democracy.

He highlighted that the Regional Development Fund (RDF) was the reason the budget of the ministry should be more than what they had asked for, since the lives of most of emaSwati in rural communities would improve through the fund.

Still on the fund, he asked why chiefs and princes were not benefiting from the fund because he felt they deserved to.

Senator Isaac Magagula also wondered why the RDF budget was not increased.

He stressed that the fund was the cornerstone of improving the lives of people in the country. He said if people were not rescued from poverty, they would be convinced that the Tinkhundla System was not benefiting emaSwati.