Catholic Entity in Eswatini Lauds King's Speech on National Issues

Manzini, 29 February, 2024 / 2:33 AM

King Mswati III’s February 9 speech was not only well written and enticing to listen, but also touched on national issues, a sign that the monarch is alive to the impediments in the country, the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO) in the Kingdom of Eswatini has said.

In his speech, the King of the Kingdom previously called Swaziland touched on a number of issues including education, the plight of people living with disability (PWD), unemployment, gender-based violence, among others.

The speech, CPLO officials say in a statement obtained by ACI Africa Wednesday, February 28,  “was a good indication that His Majesty King Mswati III is alive” to the country’s  challenges.

“We strongly support the proclaimed zero tolerance for corruption and gender-based violence. No person should suffer from any form of violence,” they say, adding that the Church's Catechism is against violence. 

They say, “The Catechism  of the Catholic Church (No: 2306) illustrates that: Those who renounce violence and bloodshed and, in order to safeguard human rights, make use of those means of defense available to the weakest, bear witness to evangelical charity, provided they do so without harming the rights and obligations of other men and societies.”

Officials of the Catholic entity express their wish that 2024 “is a better year free from any form of violence in the country.”

“Measures must also be taken to prevent suicides in our country, by vehemently fighting the social evils that produces it,” they say.

On education, CPLO officials say they “deeply note the relevance of education in sustainable development goals.”

“There is a greater need to ensure that the children are able to get a good education to build a better future,” they say, and recall that the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini provides for free education for primary school. 

“We also note that partially, education support has been extended to high schools as government Orphans and Vulnerable Children,” they say.

Regarding the plight of PWDs, CPLO officials say it is “encouraging”  to note that many of them are present in fields including carpentry, agriculture, accounting and  social work.

The government, they say, can however do more in supporting PWDs such as those at the homes for the elderly.

On employment, officials of the Catholic entity say, “There is a need to ensure job opportunities for people in rural areas to decrease poverty in the country.”

“Developing the agricultural sector would be one area in which the government should invest. To a greater extent, we appreciate the plan of tarring more roads, as this in itself would create more opportunities for people living in rural areas, in the process grow the economy,” they say. 

In the statement, CPLO officials call for “great efforts” in the Kingdom's health care sector.

“Every Liswati should have access to quality health care, as the Constitution provides for,” they say, and add, “We as the Catholic Church stand by all the people, in order that everyone gets equal medical treatment in the country.”

They say that while health services are improving in Eswatini, “there is a great effort needed from the government and investments are needed in order to guarantee every Liswati has good quality health care.”

In his speech, King Mswati announced, that Eswatini was one of the first ones "to meet the UNAIDS 2025 targets of 95-95-95", and that the nation’s life expectancy has risen from 45 to 63.5. 

CPLO officials said the announcement shows that the health services are improving in Eswatini.