Africa-Press – Eswatini. Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has called on Government to decisively shift from activity to measurable impact, urging Cabinet to close the gap between “policy intent” and the “lived reality” of emaSwati.
The Prime Minister made the remarks this morning during the opening of the annual Cabinet Retreat in Ezulwini, setting a firm tone for what he described as a renewed phase of disciplined execution and accountable leadership.
While acknowledging progress made in service delivery under the current administration, he reminded Cabinet Ministers and Principal Secretaries of His Majesty’s ‘Nkwe’ mandate, emphasising that the time had come to accelerate implementation and deliver tangible outcomes.
A Call for Decisive Leadership
Addressing members of Cabinet, the Prime Minister stressed the need for unity, discipline and clear execution plans.
“The Nkwe Mandate calls us to be decisive, disciplined and united. Each of us must leave this Retreat with a clear plan, a clear timeline and an unwavering commitment to execution. The people of Eswatini do not expect more promises. They expect results. Let us therefore move forward as one Cabinet, one Government, one Team,” he said.
He noted that although policy frameworks and strategic plans were in place, implementation remained the critical challenge.
“While progress has been made, the gap between policy intent and lived reality remains too wide. Government must now shift decisively from activity to impact. We must strengthen execution discipline, align planning, budgeting and implementation, reform procurement to enable delivery, take ownership of staffing decisions and deliberately deregulate where regulation stifles execution,” he said.
Inspired by Nehemiah’s Rebuilding
Drawing inspiration from the Biblical account of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in 52 weeks, the Prime Minister said Eswatini’s own challenges could be overcome through focused rebuilding and accelerated action.
He urged ministers to embrace a results-driven approach, grounded in ethical leadership and accountability.
“Our Vision is sustained not by policy alone, but by values, character and ethical leadership. How we lead is as important as what we deliver,” he said.
Health, Education and Anti-Corruption Priorities
Among Government’s immediate priorities, the Prime Minister highlighted the urgent need to improve access to quality healthcare by operationalising the Medical Supplies Agency and expediting the rollout of National Health Insurance.
He also called for accelerated education reform, including full implementation of the UNESWA Inquiry Report and the Comprehensive Education Reform recommendations, with success measured by relevance and employability outcomes.
On governance, he emphasised the need to confront corruption decisively.
“We must confront corruption decisively through a national anti-corruption strategy, stronger enforcement and serious consideration of a national inquiry,” he said.
Energy security was identified as another pressing priority, with a target to stabilise electricity costs and strengthen governance in the sector within two years.
Transforming the Business Environment
The Prime Minister further stressed the need to transform the country’s business climate by removing regulatory barriers and deliberately enabling investment, enterprise development and job creation.
He underscored the importance of strengthening governance and funding models for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), finalising a White Paper on alternative financing, responsibly concluding Sovereign Wealth Fund legislation and developing credible alternatives to over-reliance on Southern African Customs Union (SACU) revenues.
“These are not technical issues. They are leadership issues,” he said.
Global Context and Competitiveness
Also addressing the retreat, United Nations Resident Coordinator George Wachira highlighted the importance of agility and competitiveness in an evolving global environment.
“The shifts in our global environment require every country to engage the marketplace with clarity, preparedness and determination about what it offers and strategic about what it seeks. In this increasingly competitive and transactional landscape, our systems must become more agile and efficient, and leadership at every level more disciplined, results-oriented and firmly anchored in the national interest,” said Wachira.
As Cabinet deliberations continue, the message from the Retreat’s opening session was unequivocal: Government must move beyond plans and pronouncements to deliver concrete, measurable results that meaningfully improve the lives of emaSwati.
