Mbabane: Outspoken Mbabane businessman and erstwhile Senator, Walter Bennett has decried what he labeled “a selective application of violence” in destroying business people’s properties around the country.
The former senator said some other properties were not destroyed while others were. He wonders how businesses belonging to Hosea Member of Parliament Bacede Mabuza’s properties were spared.
He said what made him raised these issues, is because most of these emaSwati have worked hard for what they have only to be destroyed in few seconds just for a mere “call for change”.
He said his farm at Qomintaba was attacked and the property was vandalized. He said many of his properties were destroyed. He wondered why the people looted and intimidated his staff.
“How are they able to isolate their structures and leave ours to be burnt down? This needs a commission of inquiry to get to the bottom of how and why this thing happened,” said the agitated former senator.
He wondered how these people calling for change can allow the gains of decades and decades to be burnt down in such a manner.
He said the member of parliament needs to respect the communities so that he can also be respected in return.
He said he lost respect to this individual (MPs) when they began to post cellphone numbers of Members of Parliament which exposed them to public ridicule.
“What is the purpose of all of these that is happening in the country? I’m much worried because we are all business people and we have suffered while others enjoy selective immunity from the looters” he said.
He raised a concern about how the people who have lost jobs are going to survive and wondered if the alleged instigators are going to provide them with food.
The businessmen went on to say after all has been said and done, the commission will help find answers. He then thanked the security forces who calmed down the situation even though they reacted very late when damage was already done.
Call for political reforms
Bennett wondered how one can call for an election of the Prime Minister without talking about the Monarch itself.
He questioned where were they when the country was going on many various platforms discussing the well-being and socio-politics of Emaswati.
He then requested the nation to give the King some time to look at the matter and make a decision on the issue of the PM election.
Bennett said currently, His Majesty King Mswati III supported by the constitution of the land as the rightful authority to choose the Prime Minister.
He then questioned the idea of protest and looting because the King has been always of the idea of dialogue.
“If you want dialogue to engage some stakeholders, why are we beaten and our properties looted and burnt down, why?
Why do you burn buildings if you want the King to change the constitution?” he asked
No need to fight
The businessman wanted to know what the fight is all about when it comes to the powers of the King to elect the Prime Minister.
He said there is no need to fight if the issues at hand are related to the supreme law. He said the MPs should have visited the constitution to try and use an acceptable forum to amend it.
There is a provision for amendment. He said it is not proper for the country that every five years should amendment.
He further said it is wrong for the MPs to demand the powers to elect the king when in actual fact the nation goes through many processes for the constitution to be a final document.
According to Bennett’s analysis, these people who are calling for change are a minority. He said if they wanted to change, there was vusela, CRC, and CDC. This was supported by Americans, European Union, and Taiwan.
Lomsidvo lesikuwo lamunhla wani !!lidlazane, sesifelani ketsine kantsi kuyozekube nini.Phela munye umunftu longaphikiswa loshaya umtsefto nguJesu. Akasebenti nge democracy. Yena watalwa tsine bosidlani sibangala yena abengale yedwana. Aphidze akutselise. said agitated Bennett.
In politics, once decisions are taken and you lose votes, it’s over. If you want to change that, there are proper channels to be followed said the businessman.
Foreign policy
He continued to say the foreign policy of the country was decided by emaSwati.
The agenda of the country is set by those given the power to decide. All in all in our foreign policy “we don’t have any enemy.” He went further to say Swazis spent their money in Mainland China.
The country has freedom of association and it can choose whom so ever they want to have bilateral.
He wonders why the minority is pushing the whole country to China.
He then made allegations that parliament has taken money from China. “Bebalandze tinsaba e China labekunene?, asked Bennett”.
The country is suffering because of some MPs who went to China and promise to deliver Eswatini to them. He wonders how many times the country will allow the same people to make the same mistake.
Youth allowance
Bennett wondered how the petition delivers by the youth around the country has not even a single demand that it will help the youth.
He said if all the petition were inspired by the challenges faced by the youth, where were they grievances on them.
He said the youth has destroyed Matsapha and he wonders where they will get their jobs now.
He said all factories have been burnt down.
He said if the youth real have challenges, there was going to be a request for youth allowance or snippets in one of the petitions.
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