… Dialogue will happen
BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– The Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku has assured the Nation that the Government is open to suggestions on how to make the country better.
He said this during an interview on Eswatini Broadcasting Services (EBIS) where he mentioned that people were welcoming to help the Government where they see shortcomings.
Masuku said the plot twist was that people had to be kind, respectful, and within a reasonable mind to do so. This he said was because in the past people had become entitled, violent, and unfair.
“We are for the people, by the people but it gets sad and stressful when we are then insulted and people abuse their power on social media. Let us not do that,” he said.
In addition to that, Masuku said there are people misleading other people into insulting and taking down the Government and that was wrong.
He further said the Government was not deliberately delaying facilitating the national dialogue but that the current situation in the country made it unattainable.
Masuku, again reassured the nation that the government was committed to the much anticipated national dialogue.
The DPM said the government’s position remained unchanged on the dialogue, adding that it would not be abandoned at any stage but added that they did not have any time frames as yet.
Masuku said the acts of violence against members of the security services and the burning of properties delayed the process of the dialogue.
He previously stated that it would be a challenge to hold the dialogue while acts of violence and destruction of property continued.
The DPM reiterated that the dialogue was the only way or mechanism that the country had, which was used in the past to chart a way forward in the political, social, and economic development spaces.
Emphasising his point, Masuku said the country had an operational national Constitution to prove that a constitutional dialogue works and a National Development Strategy (NDS) to show-off the success of a dialogue.
He also said there were social and other legal frameworks such as the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act, the Public Order Act, and other laws to prove that dialogue worked.
When drafting the legislation, the government undertook an all-inclusive and consultative process, including civil society actors, traditional and church bodies and members of the public at the constituency level.
“The country’s position is that the dialogue will be all inclusive, whereby everyone living in the country will be offered a chance to participate,” he said.
According to Masuku, a dialogue reached the lowest in the social ladder, whereby every person gets the chance to state their case and again called on the nation to stop the intimidation as it delayed the process to an inclusive dialogue.
“We asked the nation to remain calm and vigilant under the prevailing circumstances. “We also asked the nation to continue working hand in hand with its constitutional government and relevant structures to maintain peace and stability, which has been our distinguishing trait as a nation, for years,” he said.
