Africa-Press – Eswatini. The assassination of politician and Deputy Secretary General (DSG) of Swazis First Democratic Front (SFDF) Muzi Mmema haunts ex-colleague Gift Dlamini.
Mmema was kidnapped, after watching a soccer match at Ntondozi Sports Ground, in full view of his family and neighbours in December 27, 2022 by four unknown men who were travelling in a white foreign registered double cab. His lifeless body was discovered in the morning ditched in a forest at Sidvokodvo about 20km from where he was abducted and had a bullet wound close to his heart on the left side of the chest.
The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) had been investigating the matter since December last year and many theories were shared, especially on social media, on what might have been the reason for the assassination. An investigation by Eswatini News revealed that the police allegedly uncovered a web of weapons which supposedly caused the conflict that might have led to the Mmema’s death. It was revealed that about five people who were interviewed by the police in relation to the matter allegedly pointed at Dlamini claiming he had privileged information on the matter and, therefore, made him an accomplice.
The names of the five people are known but won’t be revealed to avoid compromising police investigation. A deeper scratch on the surface of the investigation revealed that Mmema was allegedly handling or keeping safe some weapons and Dlamini was aware of where the weapons were kept.
However, the allegations should not be considered gospel truth since the investigation into the matter is still ongoing and the deceased should not be assumed to have handled such weapons. Dlamini, however, confirmed that he was allegedly considered as the prime suspect in the matter by the police. He said such allegations levelled against him even forced him to a self-imposed exile.
Weapons
He further stated that he had a conversation with the late Mmema on issues of weapons since the deceased was his deputy at his former political party, SFDF. Dlamini said the conversation was not proof that he or the deceased were involved in underground activities. He said he was neither part of nor involved in any underground activity and neither was the deceased. He stated that he and Mmema were very close colleagues and their leadership proximity was caused by the nature of their office as the secretariat of SFDF.
The experienced politician revealed that he was aware that he suddenly became the centre of the investigation and serious allegations were made against him. He said since the allegations were serious, he was not sure if it was safe for him to come back and state his side of the story or not.
He acknowledged that he went to Mmema’s family to verify the contents of the conversation they had with him about the weapons. He explained that after meeting the deceased’s father, he discovered that other people were involved.
“I cannot lie about going to the Mmema family and speaking to his father about the weapons and I don’t mind that such information reached the police, but my main problem is that I am now made a scapegoat. There is a belief that Mmema and I were involved in an underground operation that might have led to the death of him and now I am being targeted because certain people told the police that I had information on the whereabouts of the weapons. It is not true and I do not know any weapons and neither was I and Mmema involved in any underground activity,” he said.
Dlamini said he was painted as a ‘big-fish’ in underground activities and now the police were looking for him yet he was not a part of activities that were happening around the country.
Allegations
He stated that he was not even able to come home due to the allegations levelled against him. Dlamini said he was aware that there were five people who allegedly informed the police that he was involved. “There is nothing more I want to do than to come home and serve the country with my skill but right now I am not able to do that,” he said. Dlamini said there were elements from the struggle that wanted to smear his good name with dirt and make him a bad person. He said the police were fed lies by people who wanted to see him suffer. He mentioned that he had nothing to hide as he was not involved in any underground activities.
He alleged that there was a theory that was given to the investigation officers that his resignation from active politics was influenced by his passion for underground activities. “In fact the police were told that I resigned so that I could focus on the underground activities and that is not true. I am being blamed and made a scapegoat by people for their own selfish reasons,” he added. The late Mmema’s father, Linda Mmema, when called for a comment said Dlamini did arrive at his homestead but he was not aware of any conversation surrounding the issue of weapons.“I do remember Gift coming but I only remember him passing his condolences and nothing more. I hope he is well where he is. I don’t remember him talking about weapons or anything and I do not know where this theory is coming from,” he said.
Investigation
The deceased’s father also stated that the police have not updated them on the investigation progress and they did not know what was happening. He said they were too focused on ensuring that the late Mmema’s children did not go hungry and they haven’t asked for a progress report from the police.
Dlamini later resigned from SFDF and said he wanted to focus on his other projects. He said he was not leaving politics but was not going to be in active leadership.
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