Ezulwini – Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has called on the Government to move decisively from mere activity to tangible impact, closing the gap between “policy intent” and the “lived reality” of emaSwati. He made the remarks this morning at the opening of the annual Cabinet Retreat in Ezulwini.
While acknowledging progress in service delivery under the current administration, the Prime Minister reminded Cabinet Ministers and Principal Secretaries of His Majesty’s ‘Nkwe’ mandate, urging greater decisiveness, discipline and unity to realise the national vision. Drawing inspiration from the Book of Nehemiah, where Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 weeks, he said Eswatini’s challenges can be overcome through focused rebuilding, accelerated implementation and tangible delivery.
“The Nkwe Mandate calls us to be decisive, disciplined and united. Each of us must leave this Retreat with a clear plan, a clear timeline and an unwavering commitment to execution. The people of Eswatini do not expect more promises. They expect results. Let us therefore move forward as one Cabinet, one Government, one Team,” the Prime Minister said.
He further noted that, despite progress, the gap between policy and lived reality remains too wide. “Government must now shift decisively from activity to impact. We must strengthen execution discipline, align planning, budgeting and implementation, reform procurement to enable delivery, take ownership of staffing decisions and deliberately deregulate where regulation stifles execution.”
Among key priorities, he stressed urgent improvements in healthcare by operationalising the Medical Supplies Agency and fast-tracking the National Health Insurance. Education reform is also central, with full implementation of the UNESWA Inquiry Report and Comprehensive Education Reform recommendations, measured by relevance and employability.
Corruption remains high on the agenda, with the Prime Minister advocating for a national anti-corruption strategy, stronger enforcement and serious consideration of a national inquiry. Energy security is another focus, with a target to stabilise electricity costs within two years.
“We must transform the business environment by removing regulatory barriers and deliberately enabling investment, enterprise and job creation,” he added. He also highlighted strengthening SOE governance and funding models, finalising a White Paper on alternative financing, concluding Sovereign Wealth Fund legislation responsibly, and reducing over-reliance on SACU revenues, stressing that these are leadership issues, not just technical ones.
“Our Vision is sustained not by policy alone, but by values, character and ethical leadership. How we lead is as important as what we deliver,” the Prime Minister said.
UN Resident Coordinator George Wachira echoed the call for strategic leadership, saying, “The shifts in our global environment require every country to engage the marketplace with clarity, preparedness, and determination about what it offers and strategic about what it seeks. In this increasingly competitive and transactional landscape, our systems must become more agile and efficient, and leadership at every level more disciplined, results-oriented, and firmly anchored in the national interest.”
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