LIVE BLOG: Speech from the Throne 2024

14:06 Our team on the ground bring you analysis of the speech and what it means to you.

13:59: Our team on the ground will be bringing you reactions to the speech and the key takeaways from those in attendance

13:57 His Majesty has finished delivering the Speech from The Throne and has left Parliament

13: 56 The year ahead

His Majesty King Mswati III says the year ahead holds great potential and has thanked all emaSwati for their support and for promoting the peace and stability that exists in the country.

“This will allow us to concentrate on achieving our national development objectives. We shall realize prosperity if we all pull together with the new Parliamentarians in their efforts to tackle the challenges ahead and pave the way for a prosperous future for generations to come,” the King said.

His Majesty added that instead of fixating on the bickering that hinders progress, attention and energies should be directed towards discovering sustainable solutions.

“These will fortify our economy, elevate our social well-being, provide job creation, improve healthcare, and reinforce other crucial sectors, thus paving the path for a bright future for the nation.”

“It is crucial that we put respect on a pedestal in all our endeavours, as it is a characteristic that truly defines our identity as emaSwati. Let us spring to action and target attaining above 5% economic growth whilst tackling the pressing issues of poverty, unemployment and service delivery,” the King said.

His Majesty said for the government to address these key national challenges ‘akagijime atsi nkwe!’

“We can overcome it, and we know this because when we come together with a shared purpose and each person plays their part, we can move mountains. Unity is our strength! We implore our new Parliamentarians to fully embrace their responsibilities and we pray for divine guidance and protection throughout your term,” the King said.

13:50 Corruption stands in the way of corruption

Corruption stands in the way of progress in Eswatini’s plans, programmes and projects for development.

King Mswati III said emaSwati have made their voices heard at Sibaya, expressing frustration with the lack of tangible progress in addressing this issue.

“We strongly encourage the government to prioritise taking action on this matter. It is high time we witness judgements passed on individuals involved in corruption, holding them accountable for their actions,” the King said.

“Law enforcement agencies and structures must work together in our quest for zero tolerance for corruption in Eswatini.”

13:45 Invest in youth – King urges government

Youth, Business, Incubation, — The opening of the youth incubation centre.

His Majesty has instructed government to invest in the youth as they are the ones who will be able to turn Eswatini into a first-world country.

“Our youth stand as the architects of our nation’s future and are at the core of our vision to make Eswatini a world-class country.”

The King added that unemployment engulfs more than half of the youth, presenting a formidable challenge that requires immediate attention.

“It is imperative that we steadfastly continue to forge pathways and opportunities for our young people. Eswatini has spearheaded numerous initiatives, such as the youth fund, rural development fund, and small-scale and export guarantee schemes,” the King said.

“These endeavours are designed to facilitate access to financing, enabling young entrepreneurs to initiate businesses and in turn, create employment opportunities.”

His Majesty added that it could not be overly emphasised the role of quality education and skills development in paving a path to the shared prosperity that has been envisioned.

“Creating employment opportunities for our young people, hinges on the quality of education, right from the lowest grade to the highest level. We extend heartfelt gratitude to all our development partners who have been unwavering in supporting government’s efforts.”

“The country will continue with her full participation and we shall learn from the great experiences we get in our interactions with our international and regional organisations.”

13:40 Gender-Based Violence decreasing in Eswatini

The scourge of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) which has gripped the Southern African Development Community is on the decline in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

His Majesty King Mswati III during the Speech from the Throne address said since the call at the end-of-the-year national prayer service to join hands in putting an end to GBV, progress has been made.

“We note the signs of decline to this practice and urge emaSwati to continue along this path until there is not a single case. I repeat this call today and emphasise that we must remove this dark shadow of violence that is hovering over our society.”

The g added that The nation commends government for the allocation of resources to confront this scourge, as well as the support of partners, towards the implementation of the strategy for ending GBV.

“Beyond these resources, it will require a change of attitude by everyone in fostering cultural change and promoting equality for all.”

13:33 Climate Change Forces Disaster Management Fund

The recent weather conditions associated with climate change have forced the government to set up a Disaster Management Fund.

His Majesty King Mswati III revealed this during the Speech from the Throne.

“Extreme weather is becoming more frequent and intense in Eswatini, eroding economic achievements. Last year and recently, mild cyclones, hailstorms, and windstorms destroyed infrastructure, crops and animals across the Kingdom.”

“These occasional and severe climate-induced disasters have forced the country to quickly construct the Disaster Management Fund to improve disaster preparedness and response.”

The King said the government was committed to strengthening early warning services, catastrophe risk reduction and management to mitigate the extreme weather and climate change effects.

“Let us build on our efforts to address this phenomenon which has earned us the “best urban development NDC initiative of the year, for ‘strengthening of urban resilience’ in Eswatini.”

HIV/AIDS life expectancy increases in Eswatini

While speaking about the health sector, His Majesty King Mswati III said the progress made in the fight against HIV/AIDS is yielding results. The King said life expectancy has risen from 45 to an impressive 63.5 years.

“A testament to our commitment to emaSwati’s well-being through expanded health services, life-saving medicines, and successful vaccine implementation. While celebrating declining HIV/AIDS infections and deaths, we must reduce new infections so that Eswatini can remain on course for yet another milestone, that of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” the King said.

His Majesty added that the ultimate goal is to strengthen the health sector and provide specialised medical care locally.

“We urge the government to expedite the commencement of the process of mobilizing resources for the construction of the referral hospital as promised by the friends of the kingdom. This should be done in the next financial year. No liswati should die from a lack of proper health services.”

“Health care needs the support of housing welfare for our people and the country needs to invest in reviving the urban and rural housing schemes for the benefit of our needy people. These will complement the ongoing development of our towns across the country.”

13:23 Investments needed in agriculture to meet food security needs

His Majesty added that the nation needs to make significant investments in agriculture to ensure food security.

The King said the agriculture sector has identified key areas of focus to not only change farming practices but also enhance the well-being of the country’s population.

“There is a significant concern regarding the inability to meet our food security requirements domestically, resulting in a heavy reliance on imports. In addressing this imbalance, government has added a horticulture subsidy and information system to help with the marketing of fresh produce and agri-businesses. The existing maize, beans, and sorghum input subsidisation and tractor hire services will continue,” the King said.

To improve access to funding, an agricultural development fund has been established which is expected to boost investment and enhance the performance of value chains.

“Let us nurture our land to give us more value addition”.

On Tourism

The King said the country recognises that tourism contributes to our economic recovery and growth potential.

“Therefore, the government is engaging with stakeholders in order to fully appreciate their contributions to the tourist value chain, from tour operators to front-line workers”.

His Majesty said great effort was needed to increase visitor numbers and tourism spending, as well as promote the country as a destination of choice.

“We need geographic spread of sites to attract all types of travellers. The industry is encouraged to offer visitors a royal experience in Eswatini. We also anticipate that government will expedite the merger of Lubombo’s five-game parks to put more on offer for our tourists.”

13:18 82 per cent of the nation has electricity

His Majesty said at least 82 per cent of the population is connected to the electricity grid, something to be proud of.

However, the nation must be aware that the majority of that is sourced from neighbouring countries and not produced locally.

“In our unwavering pursuit of our development vision as a country, the importance of energy to drive growth cannot be emphasised enough. We proudly celebrate our commendable electrification rate of 82%. However, it is paramount to acknowledge that a significant portion of our energy is imported from our neighbours,” the King said.

His Majesty added that this requires heavy investments in local energy generation to ensure self-dependency which will be affordable and sustainable in light of the 2025 electricity contract with Eskom.

13:15 The government will focus on infrastructure development

The King added that the government will focus on infrastructure development in the country which will also become a driver of job creation.

“Following the nation’s submissions at Sibaya, it is vital that government takes immediate action to revive the national economy and improve service delivery to all areas of the Kingdom.”

His Majesty said major capital projects and infrastructure developments including the start of the Parliament building and data recovery centre needed to proceed.

“The completion of the International Convention Centre (ICC) and hotel must be prioritised in the next financial year. The nation will be pleased to know that the strategic oil reserve construction will commence in the next six months. This will fulfil our fuel sufficiency objectives,” the King said.

His Majesty called upon the government to implement a comprehensive national infrastructure programme to upgrade roads, power supply, offices, water, and housing.

“The country remains with about 400 kilometres of roads that still need to be tarred. The status of our rural roads needs improvement, as many of our people and transport operators have appealed to the government to fix and resurface them. We urge government to use affordable technologies, which are good for low traffic volumes to alleviate the problem faced by our people.”

13: 08 King: Strategies needed to stimulate entrepreneurship

The King said entrepreneurship was critical to job creation in the country and policies should be put in place to make the ground fertile for them to thrive.

“It is imperative that we implement strategies to stimulate entrepreneurship and the expansion of small and medium enterprises (SMES). They are the cornerstone of our economy, and are pivotal in driving job creation, particularly in high-potential sectors including, agri-business, tourism, and information and communication technology (ICT), just to name a few.”

The King added that the focus must be on fostering a more conducive environment for business and investment. Simplifying the process of registration for SMEs should be considered by implementing digital solutions as well as reducing the tax compliance burden for small, emerging businesses.

“Particular attention must also be paid to increasing access to business development services, for our minority groups to ensure that they invest in diversity and the world of opportunities out there.”

13:04 Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement will launch us to the world – King

His Majesty King Mswati III says the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement will propel the nation to the rest of the world.

The King called upon the private sector to intensify its efforts to exploit opportunities presented by regional and international markets.

“Emphasis should be directed towards growing our presence and creating quality jobs for emaSwati. We must achieve our goal of becoming a global commerce hub and streamline border formalities to make trading easy,” His Majesty said.

“We are pleased that the Kingdom is making progress with the national trade facilitation programme, but we urge urgent attention towards decreasing border congestion and seek alternative ports of entry to lessen global supply chain risks.”

His Majesty called for the strong utilisation of the ICT sector to better grow the economy and country.

“We must enhance our ICT infrastructure and learn how to advance our value chains to stimulate industrialisation and diversification. Government will engage more closely with businesses to create an environment that supports such investments,” he said.

With the advent of the 4th industrial revolution, characterised by digital technology and artificial intelligence, the King called for the prioritisation of worker retraining and upskilling.

“Government and the business community must work together to accelerate this process.”

13:03 Some of the guests in the gallery listening to His Majesty

13:01 Economic performance and fiscal outlook

His Majesty King Mswati III said there are several encouraging signs on the economic front that offer hope for the upcoming year.

The King said the Eswatini economy demonstrated strong resilience, experiencing a significant growth of 4.8% in 2023, following a period of slow growth at 0.5% in 2022.

“Initial projections indicate that 2024 is expected to be equally promising, with a forecasted growth rate of 4.9%. The country has also experienced a decrease in the fiscal deficit, from about 4.5% in 2021/22 to 1.6% of GDP in 2023/24.”

“This positive change can be attributed to the adoption and implementation of the fiscal adjustment plan (fap). The nation will be pleased to know that the national budget is set to receive a boost from taxes collected from internal and external revenue sources.”

His Majesty said this bodes well for the new Parliamentarians who will have resources to work with.

“We strongly encourage the government to establish a stabilisation fund as a precautionary measure for potential future declines from these revenue sources, starting immediately. Sisu sibekelwa ngaphandle maSwati.”

12:56 King Mswati calls upon Parliamentarians to have integrity

His Majesty called upon the new Parliamentarian to have integrity and serve their Constituencies with pride.

In welcoming the Parliamentarians, His Majesty said the house consisted of a diverse group of politicians, many of whom are just starting their political journeys.

“We welcome you all to this daunting task after securing the support of your constituencies. We wish you success in fulfilling this significant national role, which entails enacting laws and providing oversight to drive our national development agenda,” the King said.

His Majesty said as new members of Parliament, it is crucial to demonstrate unquestionable integrity, credibility, trustworthiness, respect and a firm dedication to national unity at all times.

“You have a responsibility to protect the nation, its Constitution, and the system of governance. You have a huge task ahead of you in addressing the challenges that lie ahead. It is time to roll up your sleeves and put your best foot forward to ensure we attain our aspirations of first-world status.”

His Majesty also applauded the previous Parliament for the work it had done to improve the lives of emaSwati.

“We also recognise the remarkable achievements of those who came before you. Their efforts have positioned the country favourably for a strong 2024 economic start. You are urged to establish a collaborative partnership with the other branches of government and enhance service delivery to the nation with the highest level of efficiency and speed.”

The King said during Sibaya, emaSwati showed their gratitude for the peaceful environment and expressed their desire for progress.

His Majesty said a takeaway from the submissions was the agenda they set for the government, and Parliament needs to follow through on this task.

“The primary focus was to address the pressing issue of unemployment which is also witnessed around the world. This challenge has been exacerbated by the far-reaching impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is vital for members of Parliament to address these issues and come up with well-established strategies to achieve good economic growth for the country,” the King said.

12:50 Successful national elections

His Majesty added that the 2023 national elections were a watershed moment in the Kingdom of Eswatini’s history, with over 90% of eligible voters registering and an overwhelming turnout that voted.

Under the motto of “ngete ngasala nasakha live,” emaSwati responded to the call to vote as part of their contribution to national service.

“The country as a whole deserves praise for the excellent turnout in an election that was in conformity with all regional and international applicable norms and best practices. We are equally pleased that our elections under the Tinkhundla System of Governance, were free and fair. We praise the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) for the robust civic and voter education initiatives and for facilitating the successful outcome of the elections,” His Majesty said.

The King added that in July before the elections, a clarion call was made to emaSwati to elect more women and people with disabilities to Parliament and the nation responded positively by increasing their numbers.

“This is commendable. We also wish to thank all our media houses and the Royal Science and Technology Park for providing the nation with up-to-date information during the elections and Sibaya. The plan starts now to work on more improvements for our next elections,” His Majesty said.

12:45 King Mswati reflects on 2023

His Majesty King Mswati III has reflected on the previous year, applauding the nation for hosting a successful election which has led to the opening of the 12th Parliament sitting.

The King said the nation was grateful to the almighty God and ancestors for their guidance and protection that has seen Eswatini throughout the year 2023.

“We have many reasons to celebrate the past year, as it marked a significant double milestone of 55 years since our nation gained independence and the King’s birthday. We commend emaSwati for the successful national event, which was honoured by other esteemed leaders from the region and beyond,” the King said.

His Majesty further added that of significance in the year was also the political landscape as it was an election year. The King said emaSwati were able to boldly chart a way forward for the country during Sibaya.

“We applaud the nation for their outstanding participation and contributions to our cultural and religious events, which were a resounding success. The numbers were remarkable, and we encourage you to uphold and transmit this heritage for the benefit of our future generations.”

12: 42 “We extend a warm welcome from all that have travelled from directions and our partners. We also acknowledge those following proceedings on different media platforms.”

12:34 King Mswati III takes to the podium. Stars by greeting the nation

12:34 Senate President welcomes King Mswati III to the podium to address the nation.

12:32 Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini speaks about the impact of climate change and the need for policies that will have the desires of the youth at the centre. Continues to says Parliament will not rest until it attains His Majesty’s vision of a first world nation

12:29 Their Majesties in Parliament as the Senate President speaks