Swaziland
Newsletter No. 916 – 27 February 2026
News from and about Swaziland, compiled by
Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk)
in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com),
and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge. The newsletter
and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary
blogsite.
Speech from the throne: MPs warn cabinet – no excuses
By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 23
February 2026
Some Members of the
Legislature have vowed to hold government accountable, insisting that the Nkwe
spirit must apply in resolving issues raised by His Majesty King Mswati
III during the 2026 Speech from the Throne.
The legislators were reacting
after the King officially opened the Third Session of the 12th Parliament on
Friday. They said they were alert during the address and, as elected
representatives of the people, their mandate was to hold Cabinet accountable —
with no excuses entertained.
According to Section 69 of the
Constitution of Eswatini (2005), Cabinet is collectively responsible to
Parliament for advice given to the King and for all actions undertaken by
ministers in the execution of their duties.
House of Assembly Speaker
Jabulani Mabuza said legislators represented the nation and were elected to
raise issues on behalf of citizens in Parliament.
He said Parliament had been
tasked with safeguarding the welfare of the nation and would hold the Executive
accountable, particularly during the budget process.
“As Parliament, we want to
assure the nation that we will work with them in making sure their welfare is
taken care of. We will have robust debates and ensure that the budget reflects
what the King directed in the Speech from the Throne,” he said.
Mbabane East MP Welcome
Dlamini said the King’s firm directive on healthcare struck a chord with
legislators.
He noted that His Majesty had
insisted that drug shortages in public facilities must end immediately and that
patients should not suffer due to unavailable medication.
“As MPs, we fully support this
and will hold government accountable to sort out supply chains, improve
budgeting and ensure every clinic and hospital is stocked. A healthy population
is the foundation of productivity,” he said.
Manzini North MP Sifiso
Nhlengetfwa said MPs would hold Cabinet accountable regardless of personal
relationships.
“The King was disappointed
that funds released to address issues such as foot-and-mouth disease have not
yielded results. We represent the nation and must ensure accountability,” he
said.
He also referenced concerns
over incomplete road projects, including a 500-kilometre construction programme
where funds were reportedly diverted.
“There are allocations we will
oppose if we do not understand their purpose. We cannot allow poor service
delivery while the nation blames MPs,” he said.
Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga
described the address as decisive.
“The Lion has roared,” he
said, adding that the speech provided clear direction to both Parliament and
the Executive.
He said the King expected
immediate solutions to drug shortages and had outlined targets for the next 40
years aimed at improving livelihoods.
To read more of
this report, click here
https://eswatiniobserver.com/speech-from-the-throne-mps-warn-cabinet-no-excuses/
King tired of saying nothing from the throne
Opinion by Wandile Dludlu, Swaziland News, 21
February 2026
When nothing is what you are
left to say, you end up saying nothing at all, that’s exactly how best we can
sum-up the King's Speech from the Throne when opening the Parliament marking
the official opening of business for all Government departments and programs.
What stands out is that, the
King’s body language speaks louder than his mouth, the man is tired, loosing
hope for ceremonies like this himself, his own heart beats hard against his
ribs each time he opens one more page, trying to read out what a gang of
criminals in the bureaucratic enclave of Government must do in the year
ahead
The King knows that,
electricity will be increased to the detriment of more people already drowning,
but what can he do? The King knows emaSwati not only have been having terribly
under supplies of medical in all public healthcare facilities for the past
fifteen (15) years straight, but even the year ahead nothing will change, but
what can he do really?
The King knows emaSwati are
having their head of livestock ravaged by Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) across
the country but, Government has no plan beyond donations from regional
multilateral institutions and donor aid mitigating programs as well as private
sector.
The King knows that he can’t
stop corruption, because to do so would mean his Throne must collapse
immediately, as everyone around him survives through looting State resources,
for to attempt to stop that would be reminiscent of burning the grass upon
which fodder to feed the thousands of wild horses that depend on.
The King knows too well that,
strategic business assets have been sold to not just private hands but foreigners,
for those folks make good business partners in the game of thrones for
looting. They have proven far lethal and merciless for they know that
everything is sellable and buyable in Eswatini after all.
The King delivered absolutely
nothing from the Throne, what would you expect him to say honesty, Swazis in
his forty (40) years of rule have grown far more poorer and destitute, remember
real development is not roads, dams nor convention centers but the quality of
life for ordinary people.
It’s quality opportunities for
ordinary people to earn a living, its creation of quality jobs not far
from where people live.
EmaSwati can't lived through
the Kubutseka stipend once after tribute labour in the King\'s fields, we
refuse Your Majesty to live our beloved kids to such a degrading and inhumane
social arrangement.
We believe, it’s how best do
we attach human value to the life a reasonable liSwati lives in any place in
the country. That is our lived reality not reports decorated in English
language with velvet adjectives.
When nothing becomes the iota
of nothing, then everything turns into nothing, expect nothing then for nothing
is everything you are left with, that’s what yesterday from the Throne we got
as nothing. Khutani liBayethe siseKhenane yelite lelite.
Business eSwatini weighs in on latest US tariff shift
By Nhlanganiso Mkhonta, Times of eSwatini, 24
February 2026
MBABANE: Business Eswatini
(BE) has sounded caution after fresh United States tariff moves, warning that
local exporters face uncertainty amid shifting global trade rules.
Business Eswatini has raised
concern over renewed uncertainty in global trade after Donald Trump doubled
down on his aggressive tariff policy, hiking a blanket duty on imports into the
United States to 15 per cent, just a day after the US Supreme Court ruled much
of his tariff programme unlawful.
The latest move by the US
president has sent fresh shockwaves through global markets and trade partners,
with Business Eswatini warning that the developing trade war could have direct
and indirect consequences for Eswatini’s export sector - particularly sugar and
other products destined for the American market.
Trump announced the new global
tariff on Saturday via his Truth Social platform, describing a Supreme Court
ruling that sought to rein in his authority as an ‘extraordinarily
anti-American decision’. He said the administration was hiking import levies ‘to
the fully allowed and legally tested, 15 per cent level’ after reviewing the
court judgment.
This came shortly after the
Supreme Court, in a 6–3 ruling, rejected Trump’s authority to impose sweeping
global tariffs under a 1977 economic emergency powers act. The ruling dealt a
major blow to one of Trump’s signature economic policies, which has reshaped
the global trade environment since his return to the White House 13 months ago.
However, Trump quickly sought an alternative legal route, initially announcing
a new 10 per cent global levy before escalating it to 15 per cent, a move
expected to fuel further uncertainty for exporters and importers alike.
Reacting to the developments,
Business Eswatini CEO Nathi Dlamini said while the Supreme Court ruling offered
a measure of hope for affected trading partners, the situation remained fluid
and unpredictable.
“Today it was reported that in
a 170-page, 6–3 ruling, the US Supreme Court struck down the so-called
Liberation Day global tariffs introduced by the Trump administration in 2025.
Since their implementation, it is estimated that the US government has collected
about US$150 billion, which, according to some reports, may have to be refunded
to affected parties,” Dlamini said.
He noted that although
Eswatini enjoys a favourable trading arrangement with the United States, local
exporters remain subject to the baseline 10 per cent tariff that applies to all
countries - a levy Business Eswatini hopes could be reversed if the Supreme
Court ruling is fully implemented.
World Bank ranks eSwatini as the 10th best country in
Africa for business readiness
By Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 23 February
2026
LOBAMBA: King Mswati has
applauded Government for marketing the country globally as an investment
destination, resulting to the World Bank ranking Eswatini as the tenth (10th)
best country in Africa for business readiness.
The country’s positive
rankings in the current World Bank report comes after vigorous efforts by the
Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade through the Eswatini Investment
Promotion Authority (EIPA), the Registrar of Companies and other relevant State
institutions, to improve the ease of doing business.
King Mswati when delivering
the Speech from the Throne in Parliament on Friday, urged Government to do more
in marketing the Kingdom as an investment destination of choice.
“This is a reflection of the
growing investor confidence and our ongoing reforms, such as the establishment
of the Business One Stop Shop (BOSS). The country must leverage this
achievement and intensify efforts to market the Kingdom as an investment destination
of choice. We must highlight our stability, strategic location, digital
infrastructure, and commitment to economic diversification,” said the King.
All eyes on Friday’s national budget
By Mbongeni Ndlela, eSwatini Positive News, 25
February 2026
MBABANE: As Eswatini prepares
for the 2026/27 National Budget Speech scheduled for Friday, 27 February 2026,
attention is once again turning to the country’s fiscal direction and the
development momentum built over the past year.
Last year, Minister of Finance
Neal Rijkenberg delivered a E32.6 billion national budget that strongly
prioritised human capital development, infrastructure expansion and social
protection. As the nation awaits his next address, the key question is not only
how much will be allocated — but how effectively previous investments are
translating into tangible outcomes for emaSwati.
In the 2025/26 financial year,
education received the largest share of the national budget at E5.41 billion.
The allocation supported teacher employment, scholarship funding,
infrastructure expansion and the continued rollout of A-Level streams. As the new
budget approaches, analysts will be watching whether government deepens
investment in early childhood education, STEM subjects and technical training
to better align with labour market demands. With youth unemployment remaining a
pressing concern, strategic funding in skills development could be a defining
theme in Friday’s address.
The Ministry of Health
received E3.1 billion in the 2025/26 budget, aimed at improving referral
systems, upgrading facilities and strengthening pharmaceutical supply chains.
The upcoming speech is expected to reflect on service delivery improvements,
including medicine availability and infrastructure upgrades. Sustained domestic
investment will be crucial to maintaining stability and resilience in the
health sector.
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