Africa-Press – Eswatini. Perhaps there will be time to contextualise Themba Masuku’s surprise if not unexpected omission from the list of senate appointees, thereby missing out on what had been hitherto a shoo-in reappointment to the position of deputy prime minister.
This because it is astonishing how Masuku is not part of the new government despite the charm offensive of the past year in which not only did he take up the baton of being the de facto prime minister, but he more or less gave us the vibes that he was ultimately the man to go to if anything needed moving in government.
To go through the list of the new Cabinet, therefore, and not be met with a picture of him smiling is something we are going to have to pinch ourselves several times to get used to.
It follows, therefore, that this is a conversation worth having on a Sunday, however, until then it is important to focus on the here and now – and what next. It is important to focus on the momentum that is unmissable with the appointment of this new government, and what it means going forward – and not looking back.
Conversations
At the event to celebrate King Charles III’s birthday at the Royal Villas on Thursday, it was noticeable how the new ministers stole the show more than there was anyone willing to pay attention to the eloquently delivered remarks by the British High Commissioner Simon Boyden, he himself perhaps aware that there were a lot of conversations happening in the background as he worked through his speech.
He would not have minded, for he must have anticipated that hosting the prime minister on his first official engagement, with his charges may provide a platform for many congratulatory conversations and so like a gracious host, he spoke without expecting anyone to follow his thoughts.
By the way, it was a great speech. It was too a rare occasion for the high commissioner to read from a prepared speech.
Yet, the appearance of several of the ministers, including the Deputy Prime Minister, Thuli Dladla, provided some beautiful context; there is a buzz about this cabinet that has not been felt for a while and the conversation these days is not about who is not in Cabinet, but on the promise of a bright five years – if these guys live up to half of the expectation, we will not complain.
This is a reflection of the mood that has been felt all across since Russell Mmiso Dlamini strode right through to the position of prime minister at Sibaya and the belated appointment of Cabinet on Monday night that even, on the night of the announcement, looked like it was not going to happen for another day!
There is a good mix with this Cabinet. There is a bit of experience with that of freshness; the finance, commerce, economic planning, public works, labour and public service ministers provide good experience and resilience. They give continuity as much as they are about promise.
The appointment of Thuli Dladla as DPM is not just sensible, but it is also to be seen as responding to the submissions at Sibaya, for a woman DPM.
Prince Simelane’s appointment to justice ministry may yet prove the masterstroke, while foreign affairs is the freshness that adds to the appointment of new ministers in ICT, sports and agriculture that demonstrate the forward thinking approach we have missed in the past couple of years. Quite honestly, a lot will be expected on these three.
signs
I speak for many when I say that we are excited about a lot of things about this cabinet and therefore, look forward to them stamping their authority in their portfolios and for them to hit the ground running.
There are signs already that show that His Majesty the King has done his homework with this cabinet, and a lot of thought went into the choice of ministers.
This brings me to the point about today’s column – that the choice made about this cabinet could not have been on the basis of the controversy over the election of the 10 senators who have been already painted with a bright red brush.
A lot is being made about the fact that none of the 10 senators have been appointed to Cabinet, as a sign that the controversy itself has cost some of these senators a position at the Hospital Hill. I thought, for a second that this was disingenuous, to begin with, purely because it assumes that by virtue of being in that category, those 10 senators should have expected to be appointed into Cabinet.
It also is being mischievous to assume that because none of those 10 have been appointed into Cabinet, therefore, this is the black sheep of parliament. Largely, it is clutching at straws, to advance this narrative that people bribed their way into senate, and therefore they are disgraced individuals who ought to be dealt with – including the futile attempt to rope in the conversation of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
I can’t but resist the thought that this is purely spiteful and therefore, those pushing the agenda are doing all they can to throw mud at anything else associated with the process – and the 10 senators, if not anyone else attempting to rationalise the entire process.
I take the dim view that this narrative has been advanced to some extent by bitter losers of the same process, who are now out to ensure that nothing good comes out of this group as some kind of satisfaction. Only people who are greedy and selfish entertain this kind of malicious thinking, because if they cannot achieve it then no one else must!
betrayal
I have been consistent in my view that the vote-buying, if at all, of senate-seats should be viewed in its context of liberal democracies who use this system of lobbying to advance their politics.
I have previously said that this notion of bribery in the senate election or accusations of vote-buying emerge out of the culture of politics of perception and of course a personalised agenda by those who were not successful.
I think, therefore, that the allegations tend to miss the fundamental point about the senate election, which is that if there was any sort of betrayal between the legislators and those who had been promised a vote, for whatever they were offering, then there is a different story altogether – but this should then suggest that the entire exercise is tainted as a result.
What ought to be our concern is where the funding comes from for people to be able to afford the vote – if that is of course, as it is being alleged. If there are people paying the obscene amounts that have been mentioned then we ought to be looking at where they get the money from, if that is declared and perhaps how it should be used, considering these are elected people who are selling their votes.
In anyway, I thought it was unfortunate that this was being brought up again, in connection with the appointment of Cabinet ministers, undermining the quality and ability of the appointed ministers.
To make this claim is to suggest that there is tokenism about this Cabinet, or that the rest of the legislators who have not been appointed ought to look into the mirror and ask themselves what it is they have done wrong not to be appointed – RUBBISH!
Cabinet ministers are appointed on the basis of the advice from the prime minister and to some degree, I am certain, the Swazi National Council. There was already a lot of information to consider with this term’s appointment, considering that we had submissions at Sibaya and I am certain the change of direction for the ship once the captain was identified.
In fact, there is a school of thought that a number of the panellists who made submissions at Sibaya would have expected to walk into the Hospital Hill themselves – but they too were not appointed!
So, what divine right for appointed senators to demand that they be considered for a cabinet position, when even Mabili Dlamini has not got anywhere near that tainted process and yet he is still not in Cabinet, despite his brilliant submission at Sibaya – and being considered, by some, to be an able candidate for the position of prime minister?
submissions
And of course, MPs Welcome Dlamini and Alec Lushaba must have considered themselves worthy candidates for a ministerial position, but here we are! By the way, didn’t Senator Fezeka Dlamini make many submissions at Sibaya?
It is true that the vote-buying controversy has been mishandled, especially hijacked by those who pursue an agenda of dangerous politics, who are frustrated at having been beaten at their own game. But also that at first glance, it smacks of corruption and bribery, and as such does not make angels of our parliament. However, this is politics, and we have always accepted that politics is a dangerous game.
Our politics, however, must be a lot better than being hijacked by broke individuals who gambled badly. It must not detract from the bigger picture of what has happened on the ground. If at all, it must enable us to see the wolves among the sheep.
By the way, Senator Lizzie Nkosi’s fate was long sealed – as far back as when Cabinet decided she was not going to chair a select-committee of four ministers looking into the drugs shortage crisis. By then, she was a ‘dead woman walking’ and it is by the skin of the teeth she made it into Senate.
That she could have come back (to Cabinet) was not helped by her not being able to tell her story to the nation at Sibaya.
She could not have been at Cabinet, therefore, no matter if she had been elected at constituency level. For me, we must wish the new crop of ministers well, especially the new faces – including the health and the tourism ministers who have their work cut out. As for the 10 senators, they can only look at the quality and calibre of the ministers and admit to themselves that they are in good company, and anything else, sekusihlebisa.
Source: observer
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