Africa-Press – Eswatini. Today I am sharing my professional opinion on how truth and reconciliation would be appropriate transparent and accountable approach as a strategic intervention for sustainable future of this kingdom.
Of significance, this opinion indicates personal and professional fatigue on the national dialogue process that seems to be failing due to lack of commitment from all parties of the political tensions and conflicts.
Last year the nation respected Incwala period, yet this year’s ceremony finds the nation still awaiting the national dialogue, living with political tensions and conflicts manifesting into violence.
This national dialogue impasse has been unhealthy for economic, political, and governance institutions, most importantly the nation and future generations require healing.
Restorative healing supports my point on how this country must consider truth and reconciliation as a strategic intervention for sustainable future towards peace.
All sides of the political tensions and conflicts have sins requiring truthful conversations beyond the national dialogue. Currently popularised by many members of the nation, however, I am of the opinion that a dialogue could degenerate into hole-in-the-wall talk show without redressing the gaping wounds and scars within the nation.
With all due respect, I am not suggesting that truth and reconciliation will resolve all political tensions and conflicts but will deepen symptomatic issues embodied within prevailing extractive economic, political, and governance institutions.
Extractive Economic Institutions
This recently acquired concept of extractive economic institutions best articulated by Acemoglu and Robinson (2012): “the inability of economic institutions to harness the potential of inclusive markets, encourage technological innovation, invest in people, and mobilise the talents and skills of a large number of individuals which is critical for economic growth.”
The citizens of this kingdom deserve to know why its economic institutions have degenerated over the years into being extractive as clarified above instead of being inclusive.
This would bring truth and reconciliation that transcends beyond the scope of proposed national dialogue, through accountability and transparency within political and professional appointees. As the state of economic institutions within this kingdom has contributed to the political tensions, conflicts and violence as we read ‘rumours’ daily on all media spaces.
Evidently, the truth and reconciliation would transform this political impasse to be beyond removing a hat from one political actor to another.
Thus indicating symptoms evoked due to lack of transparency and accountability, which will remain problematic if unpacked.
The public and private sector, including parastatal organisations that are the economic engines of this country, endowed with insightful lessons. On how extractive these economic institutions have been over the past 30 years for example, thus, unpacking core issues and challenges is eminent.
These have contributed to these economic institutions’ glaringly evident inability in mobilising talents and skills for economic growth, considering both political and professional appointees.
Extractive Political Institutions
Truth and reconciliation would enable the nation to hold accountable each body in a transparent process of extractive political institutions best articulated by Acemoglu and Robinson (2012); “concentrate power in the hands of a narrow elite and place a few constraints on the exercise of this power.”
This requires critical thinking on whether the country’s power is in the hands of the majority in the present political impasse.
Thus creating an enabling environment for transforming extractive political institutions into inclusive, that is, centralised and pluralistic, to avoid symbolically changing political hats as national dialogue quick wins.
Therefore, truth and reconciliation would provide the appropriate context for transformative interventions into futuristic institution to drive economic growth, as there is a strong synergy between extractive political and economic institutions.
Extractive political institutions must be critically analysed within pro-monarchy and pro-democracy proponents, this requires proactive problem solving to avoid the same conversation in 30 years’ time.
If proposed multi-party political systems or a changed monarchy system does not manifest inclusive political institutions chaos will emerge in a divided Eswatini in 2052.
Thus rendering the current national dialogue, change process with quick wins, hence, I am proposing for truth and reconciliation process to hold pro-monarchy and pro-democracy proponents accountable.
In a transparent and transformative process that seeks for long term problem solving for social cohesion and peace, which can be achieved through centralized and pluralistic political institutions.
The Eswatini we all want requires inclusive political systems to emerge from forgiveness as many sins have been committed in the interest of pro-monarchy and pro-democracy.
Governance Institutions
The prevailing political tensions, conflicts and violence must create an excellent opportunity for deep reflection on whether Tinkhundla governance system is extractive.
This thought process through the truth and reconciliation will reveal whether the Tinkhundla have manifested in extractive or inclusive economic and political institutions.
Therefore, through a transparent and accountable process the nation will be part of national transformation as opposed to being recipients of either multi-party or monarchial democracy.
As eloquently put by Acemoglu and Robinson (2012); “Political and economic institutions, which are ultimately the choice of society, can be inclusive and encourage economic growth.” Evidently the prevailing political impasse clearly indicates truth and reconciliatory conversations must occur to transform this kingdom.
This transformation begins with critically thinking on whether Tinkhundla governance system is inclusive.
As governance institutions supported by extractive economic and political institutions impede and block economic growth and most significantly evoke voices of discontent leading to chaos.
Therefore through a transparent and accountable process of truth and reconciliation this kingdom would understand what it means to make economic and political institutional choices; that are supported by an inclusive governance institution fostering economic growth as extractive institutions hamper economic growth, thus, limiting the redistribution of power and wealth.
Evidently, the current political tensions, conflicts and violence is rendering governance institutions ineffective in fostering economic growth and destabilising education systems.
Indeed powerful groups whether pro-democracy or pro-monarchy can stand against economic progress and engines of prosperity. However, the truth and reconciliation would hold them accountable through a transparent process for the nation to forgive them.
Conclusion
Eswatini economic, political and governance institutions led by extremely educated human capital, however, have contributed to the current political tensions, conflicts and violence. These negative and positive contributions must be revealed through transformative justice. (Mingus, 2019), “is a political framework and proposal for responding to violence, harm and abuse through a series of practices and philosophies designed to create change in social system.”
My bird’s eye view of the political impasse within the kingdom requires transformative justice to deepen the thought process in an accountable and transparent manner.
This is not to suggest there must be no national dialogue, however, we need hope that all views will be heard without assuming this dialogue will resolve economic, political and governance institutional challenges.
This is my professional view emerging from listening to current conversations that seem to believe all institutional issues and challenges will be resolved through national dialogue, yet it’s only the beginning.
Truth and reconciliation also emerges when contextualising these conversations towards the dialogue evoking my professional transformative process from the gift of prophecy into futurist.
This kingdom’s sustainable future lies in truth and reconciliation as a strategic transformative intervention, as over the past 30 years entropy has ruptured economic, political and governance institutions.
Now it’s time to approach these institutional challenges from deep and insightful transformative justice as a long term approach towards resolving the political tensions, conflicts and violence.
Maswati lamahle imagine the 2052 conversation on this political impasse and national dialogue without truth and reconciliation, which requires truthful conversation over the next five to 15 years.
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