Swaziland’s leaders are so inept that they have to urge Swazi people to pray for God to save the kingdom, because they don’t know how to do it themselves.
The kingdom’s leaders, who have King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch as their head, have perpetrated a belief that God can save Swaziland by ‘invariably saying we need to pray for serious challenges like poverty, HIV/AIDS, economic woes, crime, abuse of women and children, road accidents and corruption’.
That’s the verdict of Innocent Maphalala, editor of the Times Sunday, an independent newspaper in Swaziland.
In a scathing attack on the leadership in Swaziland, Maphalala writes in his own newspaper today (5 December 2010), ‘We believe we can do anything to anyone and only pray for whatever consequence to evaporate into thin air.’
He goes on, ‘I am sure it is only in Swaziland where authorities advise the nation to pray when confronted with such critical issues as those listed above.
‘Elsewhere, such challenges are confronted head on with sensible policies and clear, decisive action.
‘Laws are enacted and amended on a regular basis to be in line with the times and tackle problems as they come.
‘Not here!
‘Just this past Thursday, Prime Minister [Barnabas] Sibusiso Dlamini used the prayer card when a reporter from this newspaper asked him hard questions about the Mbabane land allocation scandal.
‘He had been asked to comment on the flagrant disregard of the Crown Lands Disposal Act, 1911 when large plots were allocated to ministers and some Municipal Council of Mbabane officials – at undeserved discounts.
‘As he always does when pushed to a corner, the head of government launched into some long treatise about angels, the devil, his ministers’ right to a decent lifestyle and finally…prayer.
‘This is what he said: “The allocation was done in an angelic manner. The devil was not involved. When we got into office, we found that ministers were scattered all over the country or living in their spouses’ houses or flats. A minister needs to maintain certain standards regarding the house they live in, the location of the house and the cars they drive. We prayed when tackling this matter.”
‘Jesus Christ!’
Maphalala goes on, ‘How can anyone even think of using words like ‘angelic’ to describe this controversial and definitely illegal land sale?
‘The angels in heaven should be preparing to turn their backs on Swaziland for good after this.’
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