Africa-Press – Eswatini. Let me tell you, the proposed new Parliament building has proved to be a blessing and a curse – at the same time.
Some might argue it has become a serious hot political potato for the country, for it cannot be denied that it proved to be one of the issues that fuelled emotions at the height of the political unrest last year.
When it was revealed that the country would procure a loan for a new Parliament building last year, people went berserk, seeing this as a waste of public funds. I recall there were attempts to even intimidate the India ambassador to Eswatini to revoking this agreement, because it was said, the people did not want or need this building, despite this project having been a Parliament decision of many years prior.
It was interesting to observe how Members of Parliament themselves behaved during this period, when there was this free for all on anything status quo of this country.
There was no defence for it, nor was there anyone attempting to reason with the public, let alone to plead the case on behalf of the funding country that had nothing to do with the decision, except to assist us achieve our goal.
But, that was last year, and logic went out the window a lot of the times last year, justifiably so or not.
There is no doubt in my mind that the current Parliament building at Lobamba has not just become smaller but is in fact old and archaic.
In fact, there was a video clip that was circulated on the WhatsApp platform last week, in which our Parliament building was mocked – compared alongside some of the finest structures, the SADC region included.
The aim of this clip was to expose how much of a laughing stock we are as a country to even have that kind of building for a Parliament. By contrast, the point was made that we have the smallest, probably ugly building.
The funny thing, though is that were this clip to have been shared the same time as the campaign to protest against the new structure, no one would have found it funny.
I dare suggest that instead, it would have been akin to asking for death threats!
Yet, the truth is that our Parliament building, perhaps like its legislators, needs a serious overhaul – a facelift, if not a totally new thing to fit with the times. The truth is that this current building represents an old structure that was not built with a future in mind. It was built for that time, and we have outgrown it.
To me, the Parliament building represents the kind of thinking that we employed – and perhaps continue to observe, sadly – something fitting for that particular time. This is similar to our roads that were built back then as part of our colonial history.
These were built for the now, never for the future. Take a look too at our current Deputy Prime Minister’s Offices, which were aptly called Tinkhundla offices, and you will have to agree with me that it is shameful, to say the least.
That building, along with many of their time, were built during the colonial times, represent that kind of thinking.
Prosper
Perhaps, they were built to demonstrate that this nation would never prosper; that the country would never grow and that its people would never develop. I do not know, except that I always raise this point about the Prince of Wales stadium being a reflection of what kind of country we were to the colonisers for them not to invest in terms of infrastructure in this country, to only gift us an empty playing field for a stadium.
But, to contextualise this, you have to take a walk to the stadium even in current day Eswatini to realise one of two things; our priorities when it comes to infrastructural development and our vision for the future are either misplaced or just shockingly dismal. Perhaps, they are both, which is a damning indictment of government.
The Prince of Wales stadium still has nothing to show that we have developed as a country. It is still as it has always been – just a playing field. No investment into it, nothing. In fact, nothing to suggest it will ever be anything other than what it is. Now, tell me if this shows our ambition, and I will agree with you – poor ambition.
This lack of ambition is exactly what is playing itself out at Parliament considering their proposed structure, with those MPs who think they have the speed dial to the public perception opposed to it, and those who try to reason in support of the structure.
I might add, for good measure, by the way the state of our roads infrastructure, which has remained the same for as long as we have been alive! The idea that we still have narrow roads built in the 70s, undeveloped and still long and winding from when they were initially set up to now, surely bemuses me.
Redeveloping
Instead of revising our roads infrastructure, making bigger roads and redeveloping these into new and shorter routes, we think that extending Malagwane into a dual carriage-way solves the problem, when it only serves to confirm our short-termism.
For another perfect example, take a look at the Motshane/Pigg’s Peak road which has exposed the kind of neglect to our road infrastructure when it gave in a few months ago, leading to government now waking up to the reality that we need some billions of Emalangeni to patch the roads.
Patch, not improve; not even build new roads. Just patch. Most of our roads are calling for not just refurbishment, but for a complete re-design, to reflect, not just that we’ve come this far, but rather a drastic shift from the old and colonial past, if not the status of our progress as a country.
Perhaps, this is the point of departure with those who don’t see the proposed Parliament building being a waste of public funds, if not needless – perhaps even a sign of our misplaced priorities. I accept, of course that this debate could very much hinge on perspectives – for those who see a glass half full and those who see it half empty.
It is hard to argue against the size of the building and the need to build a new one, regardless of the cost. That we need a new one should be acceptable, for us to then be realistic to managing the cost of the building. Critically, this country is crying for mature and sensible government leaders to be able to guide this country out of this precarious moment we are in.
If we all want to stand up and speak at the same time, all the messages will be lost and the country led astray.
Concern
I’ve written the past couple of weeks about the danger that everyone seems to be posturing, and have raised the concern that at this particular time, we can do without people who are looking for populism. We need sober heads, who will evaluate their own contribution to the value add of building this country.
There is no doubt in my head that Parliament has been captured, and this has dangerously exposed the country to all sorts of risks. The bigger of these risks is that the moral fibre of our society can’t be restored by people who haven’t stopped to reflect at the impact of their own contribution.
Whatever our sentiment on the proposal to build us a new Parliament, this comes down to the point that we are at critical crossroads of make or break, where we may lose what we have built because people are only happy to cut their noses to spite their faces.
That in my view can’t be politics, but can perhaps demonstrate the extent to which our politicians have shirked their responsibility.
All they want to do is cash-in of course, without any shame.
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