COMMENT - The CIA has some gall criticizing the size of the Swaziland army, when the US is opening up new bases in Australia, and has the biggest army in the world by far. Perhaps they think the army is too strong to easily overthrow and invade, by financing and arming the political opposition.
SD spends too much on the army – CIA
By WELCOME DLAMINI on November 18,2011
Soldiers marching during a parade. However these soldiers have nothing to do with the article.
MBABANE – As Swaziland grapples with a financial crisis it has also been found that government is spending too much on its army.
The 2011 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook carries what is termed as latest statistics which show Swaziland reportedly spending more money on the army than any other country in the SADC region and ranks 13th in the world. The comparison has been made in terms of the percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP) that a country spends on the army. It must be noted that the CIA based its information on statistics dating between 2005 and 2010 for the various countries but when it comes to Swaziland the data is for 2006.
In the entire African continent, Swaziland reportedly ranks third after Burundi and Morocco who are ranked eighth and 11th in the world respectively. The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities.
The statistics come at a time when there has been a public outcry over government’s priorities in terms of expenditure as even a recently tabled supplementary budget made a provision for a further E64m request for the army.
The National Public Servants and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) Secretary General Vincent Dlamini said they have been concerned over the spending pattern of government for a while.
"Swaziland is not even involved in peacekeeping operations and therefore we have a problem with government militarising the country," he said.
Dlamini said government had got its priorities all wrong as it should be focusing on health, education, job creation and infrastructure development so as to resuscitate the country’s economy. Dlamini said the best way for government to defend itself was by providing enough services for the people.
"Let government assist SMEs so as to create more jobs. Once we have more people working then people will be happy and there would be social stability. Let us focus on that, not the military," he added.
According to the CIA, Swaziland spent 4.7 per cent of GDP on the army while Burundi and Morocco spent 5.9 per cent and five per cent respectively.
An analysis of the statistics suggests that the kingdom’s military expenditure surpasses that of the United States of America and war-ravaged Libya.
The USA, which is one of the world’s ‘superpowers’ spends 4.06 per cent of its GDP on the army and is ranked 24th in the world.
Libya, which is fresh from an uprising that cost the life of its leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, spends 3.9 per cent of GDP on the army and ranks 25th in the world. Rwanda is ranked 26th in the world and at a spending of 2.9 per cent of GDP on the army at the time of the statistics.
In the SADC region, Zimbabwe spends 3.8 per cent, Namibia allocates 3.7 percent; Botswana spends 3.3 per cent, Lesotho spends 2.6 per cent; South Africa spends 1.7 per cent and Mozambique is at 0.8 per cent. Zimbabwe ranks 18th in the world, Namibia 19th, Botswana 23rd, Lesotho 29th, South Africa 43rd and Mozambique is positioned 54th.
In the 2011/2012 budget estimates, Swaziland’s Ministry of Defence was allocated a head total of E623 219 583 of which E523 571 352 was specifically for activity 12 (Defence).
These statistics have not yet been put in account for the CIA website.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an independent US Government agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior US policymakers.
Civil servants say it’s a tragedy
MBABANE – Civil servants say Swaziland’s expenditure on the army is a tragedy and want the retirement age for soldiers reduced to 50.
Vincent Dlamini, who is Secretary General for the National Public Servants and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), feels that government made a blunder by increasing the retirement age to 60 for soldiers.
"We asked government as to why it was keeping soldiers for another 10 years because that adds to the number of civil servants. Physically, what can a soldier do at 60 years? The country is not at war so there is no need to spend 4.7 per cent of GDP on the army. Government is complaining about the huge wage bill but is keeping more people in the army," Dlamini said.
...no comment, Percy cites national security
MBABANE – Government says it cannot comment on issues of the army because they border on national security.
Government Press Secretary Percy Simelane said security matters were not open to the public.
"I cannot comment on the army’s budget because it is a security matter. Security matters are not as open to the public as other issues. We don’t comment on issues of the army. We don’t normally discuss them for security reasons," Simelane said.
Last week, Premier Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini said the army needed to be well taken care of so that the nation could have peaceful nights and not having to look over their shoulders because of security threats.
He said an army ensured that a country lived in peace.
SADC Military expenditure rankings according to CIA
Rank Country % of GDP Date of info
1. Swaziland 4.7 2006
2. Zimbabwe 3.8 2006
3. Namibia 3.7 2006
4. Angola 3.6 2009
5. Botswana 3.3 2006
6. Lesotho 2.6 2006
7. Zambia 1.8 2005
8. South Africa 1.7 2006
9. Malawi 1.3 2006
10. Madagascar 1.0 2006
11. Mozambique 0.8 2006
World top 20 countries on military expenditure according to CIA
Rank Country % of GDP Date of Info
1. Oman 11.4 2005
2. Qatar 10 2005
2. Saudi Arabia 10 2005
3. Jordan 8.6 2006
3. Iraq 8.6 2006
4. Israel 7.3 2006
5. Yemen 6.6 2006
6. Eritrea 6.3 2006
7. Macedonia 6 2005
8. Syria 5.9 2005
8. Burundi 5.9 2006
9. Mauritania 5.5 2006
9. Maldives 5.5 2005
10. Turkey 5.3 2005
10. Kuwait 5.3 2006
11. Morocco 5.0 2003
12. Singapore 4.9 2005
13. Swaziland 4.7 2006
14. Bahrain 4.5 2006
14. Bosnia 4.5 2005
15. Greece 4.3 2005
16. United States 4.06 2005
17. Russia 3.9 2005
17. Libya 3.9 2005
18. Zimbabwe 3.8 2006
18. Cyprus 3,8 2005
18. Cuba 3.8 2006
18. Djibouti 3.8 2006
19. Namibia 3.7 2006
20. Angola 3.6 2009
We have second smallest army in the SADC region
MBABANE - Despite the reportedly high expenditure, available statistics reflect that Swaziland has the second smallest army in the SADC region after the Kingdom of Lesotho.
According to the internet accessible Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook, Swaziland is reported to have an army of over 3 000 soldiers, while Lesotho has 2 000; South Africa has 62 082; Zimbabwe has 29 000; Zambia 15 100; Mozambique 11 200; and Namibia has 9 200 soldiers.
The army spokesperson Khanya Dlamini referred any queries to government.
The latest expenditure on the army is an allocation of E64 million to be provided through the supplementary budget tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Majozi Sithole last week.
On Wednesday, the International Monetary Fund welcomed the supplementary budget for its inclusion of downward revisions in revenue projections and cuts in capital expenditures for goods and services "while regularising earlier budgetary overruns in defence expenditures."
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