Africa-Press – Eswatini. Army Commander Moses Mashikilisane Fakudze has closed the Burial Fund for soldiers triggering outcry and tension within the Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force(UEDF).
The fund was established about twenty(20) ago by soldiers to assist families of deceased soldiers by providing “imali yekulila” amounting to twelve thousand Rands(R12,000.00) for each deceased soldier.
It has been confirmed that, each soldier contributed between four hundred(R400.00) and five hundred Rands(R500.00) and, the Fund with Branches within the various Army Barracks, had accumulated over R20million.
But,the Army Commander closed it and subsequently ordered that, each soldier be refunded the R400.00 or R500.00 despite the fact that, the Fund had accumulated millions since its establishment.
“The Commander looted our Burial Fund and closed it, lemali lena Nkhosi beyisisita kutsi nakufe lisotja nasiyolila sihambe siphetse R12,000.00 cash simasotja sifike sishiyele lomndeni.Emasotja Nkhosi abuhlungu ngalo-Commander losigangi lona nangalemali yetfu layidlile, wakha ema-Shopping Complex lonkhe lelive.Wena usatowufa yi-information netindzaba ngoba sitakunika vele sibuhlungu”, said one junior soldier.
Information suggests that, the Army Commander further grabbed all the shops within the Army Barracks for himself, he declined to comment.
On another note, the Army Commander addressed Chiefs “who are members of the Army at Mbuluzi Army Barracks on Friday, he said he will soon approach the King and ask him to dismiss Brigadier General Zenzele ‘Ace’ Dlamini, accusing him of leaking information to this journalist”.
But when addressing the Chiefs who were on special training at Mbuluzi Barracks, the Army Commander allegedly said;
“Sesilitfolile-ke leli-officer lelikhuluma nalo-Zwemart, ngitawucela uMntfwaneNkhosi angiphekeletele siye eNkhosini siyocela kum-discharga atohamba ayolandza longaniwakhe Zwemart”.
Even though, the Army Commander did not mention the name of Brigadier General Zenzele Ace Dlamini when opently addressing the Chiefs, he later held a secret meeting with some of his trusted soldiers where he mentioned the name and asked them to investigate Dlamini by grabbing his cellphone to confirm the alleged communication with this journalist.
The information discussed in that secret meeting was then leaked to this journalist by some of the soldiers who were present, plotting with the Army Commander.
But another soldier based at Siteki Army Barracks told this publication that, the Army Commander closed their Burial Fund and, they were not refunded even the R500.00.
“We have been told that, at Mbutfu Army Barracks they have been refunded but here at Siteki, we are still waiting. What you need to understand about these Burial Funds is that they were established differently or separately, our Burial Fund here in Siteki had accumulated over R1million and in other Barracks, the money might be more or less depending on the date of establishment. So he closed all the Burial Funds, took the money for himself and ordered that, we must be refunded the monies we contributed while he pockets the invested monies for himself. Animati nje loBabe lona yeNkhosi, uganga loku losekwecile,” said one of the female soldiers.
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