By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini had an interview with Swazi Observer Managing editor Mbongeni Mbingo this week where he spoke about the existence of a cabal working towards frustrating the operations of Government.
Firstly, it’s ironic to note that, the PM was interviewed by Mbingo who has been defending SwaziPharm Director Kareem, Chief Procurement Officer Sincendile Dlamini, businesswoman Zinhle Matsebula and Chief Pharmacist Fortunate Bhembe, these individuals were implicated in the alleged rampant looting of billions of public funds within the Ministry of Health, resulting to the shortage of drugs in public hospitals and the death of hundreds of emaSwati.
The PM has been blocking the Anti Corruption Commission(ACC) from arresting SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff and all those implicated in the shortage of drugs in public hospitals scandal, he also blocked the ACC from arresting his retired Principal Secretary(PS) Bertram Stewart.
On the other hand, editor Mbingo used the Swazi Observer to attack Auditor General(AG) Timothy Matsebula who compiled a report implicating the Prime Minister in the missing R210million public funds, attacked Funduzi Forensic Services and it’s Director Zakhele Dlamini including those demanding accountability of public funds amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals.
But before being scandalized by Mbingo, the Auditor General and Funduzi were attacked by Ashraff and the Prime Minister, the PM labelled Matsebula as incompetent during a Breakfast Meeting with editors while efforts were made to block the Funduzi Forensic Services report, exposing the looting within the Ministry of Health from being adopted by Parliament.
Now, the PM who spoke about a cabal and the Swazi Observer editor must explain about the sequence of event; why all those who are questioning and/or holding Swazipharm Director Kareem Ashraff accountable on alleged looting then become enemies of the PM and subsequently scandalized by Mbongeni Mbingo?.
I’ve just summarized part of an existing cabal involving the Prime Minister as mentioned above but, in one of my meetings with the then Director of Media now Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology(ICT) Phesheya Dube, he once said;
“You must be careful when a person tells you about State capture, that person might be genuinely giving you a story or information as a source but, at the same time, he might be aspiring to capture and strengthen his own cabal as well”.
The PS shared these sentiments about ten(10) years ago but, Dube’s sentiments came to mind while reading the Prime Minister’s interview with the Swazi Observer.
The PM must tell us who paid part of the loan for his house at Tubungu but before answering this question, he must consider analyzing Swazi Observer editor Mbongeni Mbingo’s bank accounts thereafter, he will understand the meaning of a cabal.
In conclusion, let me state that I am not in any way refuting the PM’s statements suggesting that, there are cabals in this country, I am also aware of many syndicates or political factions in the public administration.
But it’s concerning when alleged political thieves manipulate the media to speak about cabals when they are actually part of a powerful and corrupt cabal stealing public funds, resulting to the death of hundreds of emaSwati amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals.
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