One of King Mswati’s most
prominent lieutenants in Swaziland has said money intended for his birthday
celebration in April is being ‘looted’.
Mbongeni Mbingo, the editor-in-chief of the Swazi Observer group, newspapers in
effect owned by the King, said, ‘We
all know that long before this event takes place, there are people who have
already secured the bidding for the tenders and most of the money isn’t going
to be spent on where it should.’
The equivalent of millions
of US dollars will be spent on the so-called 50/50 celebrations to mark the
King’s 50th birthday and the 50th anniversary of
Independence from Great Britain. King Mswati rules Swaziland as sub-Saharan
Africa’s last absolute monarch.
Writing
in the Sunday Observer (25 March 2018), Mbingo said, ‘It is inevitable that this country would
want to celebrate such milestones and as such we have to accept that no matter
our fiscal situation, this was going to happen.’
Swaziland is broke and Finance
Minister Martin Dlamini in his budget speech on 1 March 2018 said the
government would only spend on ‘the most critical expenditure items’ this year.
He acknowledged, ‘Government sending continues to outpace its ability to raise
enough revenues resulting in cash flow challenges and accumulation of arrears.’
In
his speech opening Parliament
in February 2018 the King commanded his government, ‘to prepare a budget that
is based on available resources’. Dlamini said, ‘Government has conducted a
thorough analysis of our expenditure in order to prioritise only the most
pressing concerns.’
Already, the
Swazi Government is to pay US$7.5 million for a fleet of luxury BMW cars to
transport dignitaries on the day. The cost of the cars alone bust
the US$1.7 million budget the
government allowed itself for the festivities. The 50/50 celebration lasts one
day – 19 April 2018.
E1 million (US$86,000) intended for retirement funds
and to help the disabled has been transferred from the Swaziland National Provident Fund (SNPF) to help pay
for the 50/50 celebrations. All police
officers and soldiers
in the kingdom have had money
deducted from their salaries to contribute. Businesses have also been asked to donate.
Mbingo wrote, Swaziland owed ‘it to ourselves to celebrate this kind of
milestone’.
He added, ‘But,
does this mean all the extravagance we are about to witness; the new cars; the
uncontrollable expenditure; and the looting that is taking place already? We
all know that long before this event takes place, there are people who have
already secured the bidding for the tenders and most of the money isn’t going
to be spent on where it should.’
He added, ‘The money is
about to, if not already, find its way to corruption, and sheer extravagance is
about to be displayed.’
Ten years ago in 2008
Swaziland held 40/40 celebrations. The cost overran by E32.6 million (about US$5 million at the then exchange rate).
E17 million was budgeted but it ended up costing ‘at least’ E50.2 million. The
exact figure is uncertain.
The budget overrun was
revealed in the ‘Comprehensive Project Completion Report’ (CPCR), written by Luke
Mswane, chair of the double celebrations committee that oversaw the 40/40
celebration that took place on one day – 6 September 2008.
The CPCR highlighted a
catalogue of mismanagement. Next to no time was made available to set a proper
budget for the events and it became impossible to keep track of the money. At
least E1.8 million was spent on capital projects without any formal written
authority.
The CPCR also stated that
E500,000 was budgeted for labour costs, but overtime paid to civil servants
amounted to E5 million.
Tellingly, since the world
was led to believe that King Mswati’s joy at his 40th birthday and the
independence anniversary was shared by his subjects, the CPCR report stated
that there was actually a lack of interest in the event and it was impossible
to attract sponsors. They had expected sponsors to pay E0.8 million but in fact
only E104,000 was given.
See also
POOR
AND SICK PAY FOR KING’S BIRTHDAY
SOLDIERS
FORCED TO PAY FOR KING’S PARTY
50/50
CELEBRATION BUSTS BUDGET
POLICE FORCED TO PAY FOR 50/50 JUBILEE
CALL FOR CASH TO FUND 50/50 CELEBRATIONS
50/50: LEARN LESSON OF PAST DISASTER
TOWN
TIDIES UP FOR KING’S BIRTHDAY
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/town-tidies-up-for-kings-birthday.html
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