What was meant to be a positive debate on how to address the country’s drug crisis turned into a dramatic exchange as Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini clashed with Members of Parliament (MPs).
The clash manifested after MPs said they were sceptical about including the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) in drug procurement.
The legislators questioned the legality of including the NDMA in drug procurement and raised concerns that Auditor General Timothy Matsebula once reported that there were millions of unaccounted for funds at NDMA during the COVID-19 pandemic, the period when the PM was still chief executive officer at the agency.
The clash took place while the premier was responding to the questions posed by the MPs during the debate of the motion to adopt the PM’s responses to a Private Members motion on the shortage of essential medication yesterday.
The PM insisted on addressing the NDMA issues raised by the MPs and vehemently clarified that there were no funds that were missing at NDMA despite being advised not to get emotional while dealing with the legislators.
Related: PM outlines five causes of health crisis
He further maintained his position about questioning the competency of the AG and alleged that MPs were quick to point fingers without providing solutions to the challenges faced by the country. Detailing one on the proposed solutions to addressing the drugs shortage crisis, the PM proposed reforming government procurement procedures.
He said government would immediately pay for partial deliveries to unlock suppliers’ capacities to deliver medical supplies.
He added that a security system to track distribution and delivery of drugs had been identified and was being procured.
Dlamimi said in the short-term, the procurement of essential and life-saving drugs would be conducted in conjunction with NERCHA to streamline and reduce lead times.
He said the NDMA would support NERCHA with the procurement of essential and emergency medical supplies.
The premier said a technical working group composed of five technical experts in procurement and supply chain management would be appointed to support NERCHA and the ministry of health so as to ensure constant supply of medical supplies while adhering to procurement requirements.
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member, Ngwempisi MP Bhekibandla Vilakati was the first to remind the house of queries raised by the AG on the unaccounted for funds at the NDMA.
“I am concerned about the inclusion of the NDMA in the drug procurement because AG’s reports flagged loopholes in the management of public funds by the agency,” he said.
He questioned if the queries raised by the AG had been addressed and advised that such should be addressed first.
PAC Deputy Chairman Manzi Zwane also raised a concern, saying the NDMA should not be involved in drug procurement. “Do not involve the NDMA, Emaswati have no confidence in the agency. I believe it is too soon to involve them based on previous experiences,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo questioned the legality of including the NDMA in drug procurement.
He said there were laws in place that provided for the establishment of the agency and it would be wrong for them as lawmakers to disregard the law.
Khumalo said it would be wrong to declare the health crisis a national disaster, insisting that it was wrong to declare a disaster on a self-inflicted problem.
“The crisis we find ourselves in is man-made and cannot be declared a national disaster,” he said.
Responding to the concerns about involving NDMA, the PM said he was happy that MPs and members of the public spoke passionately about not interfering with the operations of the NDMA.
The PM insisted that no money was lost or unaccounted for at the NDMA while he was in office.
“This is why I question the competency of someone who says this. Everyone speaks as if they knew everything and quick to give directions but do not want to take accountability,” he said.
Rising on a point of order, Khumalo said if the PM said no funds were lost, he should tell them what exactly was lost.
“If you say no public finds were lost, please help us understand what it is then that was flagged by the AG,” asked Khumalo. Mayiwane MP Sicelo Dlamini said in the past, the PM accused the AG of being incompetent when he raised the issue. “Are you maintaining your stance on questioning the competency of the AG,” he enquired. Speaker Jabulani Mabuza advised the PM to respond in writing so as to avoid derailing from the issue at hand and but he insisted on responding verbally.
“Ushito lomunye umhlonishwa kutsi kufuna ngibe nenkhani batoyibona ke namuhla,” the PM said. MP Manzi Zwane insisted that the PAC knew something different from what the PM was saying
He said the AG raised queries and said funds were unaccounted for. “If you fail to provide imperial evidence that funds were not unaccounted for then it becomes a query” he said.
He said what the PM was saying raised questions about their competence of the PAC. Mabuza called the sitting to order. He further called for a vote for the PM to respond in writing.
This resulted in MPs not adopting the report as they waited for the PM to respond.
The premier, however, raised a concern that the decision not to adopt the responses meant that his hands would be tied and he could not implement the proposed solutions.
Eswatini Observer Press Reader
