By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. Journalists are fully aware that, issues of State security are very sensitive and must be handled in a very professional, mature and responsible manner because failure to do so, grossly undermines national security, Sovereignty while endangering the public.
It is not only the responsibility of the Army, the Police Service and other State Security Departments within the security cluster to protect State security but, journalists and all citizens have an obligation to protect the country’s Sovereignty while ensuring that, it remains a safe place for all citizens.
But in most instances, corruption within the Army and other State security institutions normally escalates unchallenged and those responsible would be hide behind State security when called upon to account and this in my view, amounts to abuse of power for dishonest gain fueled by a culture impunity.
Army Commander Moses Mashikilisane Fakudze is an alleged corrupt thief and his corrupt conduct is now threatening State security and destabilizing the Army.
This country is actually littered with individuals who are failing to understand that, being appointed to a position of significant trust is not for self-enrichment but to serve the public and in the context of the current political system, Their Majesties with utmost integrity.
Mashikilisane Fakudze is frequenting Mozambique these days and your guess is as good as mine regarding the purpose of these trips as reflected in the Ministry of Home Affairs Immigration systems.
But King Mswati, when preaching at Lozitha Palace once said; “bantfu labatsandza tikhundla kubese kulahleka lomcondvo”, Mswati sometimes use his preaching platform to blast those around him including critics.
The King was absolutely right on this particular issue, Mashikilisane Fakudze is having sleepless nights these days and even though I am aware why, I’ve been warned by my Army sources not to pre-empty what causes the Army Commander to be so unstable.
Mashikilisane is thretening the stability of the Army and undermining State security, we can’t have a Commander who behaves as if it’s the law to grab money from the pockets of other financially struggling soldiers just for “litiya la-Commander”, he is literally abusing power to steal from the pockets of other soldiers earning ‘peanuts’ as a salary.
As you read this article, some soldiers attending a military course at Mbuluzi Army Barracks, are being forced to contribute about six hundred Rands (R600.00) each and, even thou the Commanders at Mbuluzi claim this money will be used to pay a catering company during the ‘graduation’, it has been confirmed that part of it will go to Mashikilisane as “litiya la-Commander”.
As to how soldiers in this country found themselves having to feed one “Mabofela” Army Commander, nobody knows particularly because, Fakudze is earning a huge salary and the Army operations are funded by the State.
As mentioned, issues of State security are very sensitive and some trainings should be kept private far away from the public eye but now, I am being forced to write about a military course at Mbuluzi Army Barracks just because Mashikilisane has manipulated training to cash from the pockets of the soldiers.
It should be that, there are over one hundred soldiers (100) soldiers attending this course and this means, the Army Commander will cash over fifty thousand Rands (R50,000.00).
Whether directly or indirectly through the catering company, there’s reasonable suspicion that, these soldiers are being robbed because, the State is funding the Army and therefore, there’s absolutely no need for contributions.
