BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – In line with the directive issued by the King when opening Parliament last Friday, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has today launched a tripartite task team to enhance Government’s fight against corruption.
When delivering the Speech from the Throne, which marked the opening of the First Session of the 12th Parliament, His Majesty King Mswati III minced no words in stating that individuals suspected of corruption should be arrested. He mentioned that corruption drove the country backwards in terms of economic development.
The task team was launched at Cabinet Offices at Hospital Hill in Mbabane. The task team consists of the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Lomvula Hlophe, Acting National Commissioner of Police Lydia Dlamini and Acting Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Maphevu Mkhatshwa and will report directly to the PM.
According to Dlamini, the task team will be responsible for investigating corruption allegations, prosecuting cases, implementing preventive measures, and strengthening legal frameworks to address corruption effectively. Immediately, the team is expected to deal with the currently obvious cases with the offenders brought to book with immediate effect just as it was commanded by His Majesty the King in his address to Parliament. Cases must be dealt with to finality and not be dropped mid process. The DPP is expected to prioritise corruption cases henceforth.
The Prime Minister echoed His Majesty the King’s words when he said corruption undermined Eswatini’s progress as a nation and impacted negatively on service delivery, human and socio-economic development, job creation and public trust in government, as well as investor confidence. Government, according to the premier, had committed itself to having zero tolerance for and fighting corruption in all sectors of society.
The premier viewed the launch of the task team as a positive step towards promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance and it was in line with the policy direction that was so clearly articulated in the Speech from the Throne by His Majesty the King during the official opening of Parliament.
Present during the launch of the task team was Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Prince Simelane, Attorney General (AG) Sifiso Khumalo, Acting DPP Lomvula Hlophe, Acting Police National Commissioner (NatCom) Lydia Dlamini, Acting ACC Commissioner Maphevu Mkhatshwa, Prime Minister’s Office Principal Secretary (PS) Bertram Stewart, Govenrment Spokesperson Alpheous, Nxumalo, Deputy Govenrment Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli and members of various media houses in the country.
