INGWENYAMA ENJOYING POLITICAL SHOW

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INGWENYAMA ENJOYING POLITICAL SHOW
INGWENYAMA ENJOYING POLITICAL SHOW

Africa-Press – Eswatini. Watching the smile on His Majesty King Mswati III’s face recently made me realise that he has mellowed in his leadership and seems to be enjoying the show.

I am even tempted to say he is at his element; meaning he is in a situation he enjoys, according to the Collins Dictionary. He is enjoying the uncertainty and the suspense in the legislative atmosphere. I watched how tired the king was after the Shiselweni Reed Dance and I told those close to me that I blame the people seeking his attention so he could appoint them. I said this out of anger because I knew that some had gone to sangomas, while others climbed mountains for prayer and fasting. When I saw him at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) graduation ceremony, I wished he could take a holiday just to rest.

Imagine the King being a prayer item. It is not easy to be a subject of prayers and it must have weighed heavy on him to have so many people calling his name in prayer while others bath ngetihlati (lucky charms) just for him to appoint them. At the UNESWA graduation ceremony, the king was clearly fatigued, but being the king that never misses an opportunity to be with his people, he still attended. However, he surprised me during his two appearances at the recently-ended People’s Parliament (Sibaya). I also join the commentators who commended his speech as the best to date, but I want to go further and commend his smile (laugh), humour and attention as the best so far.

Escalating

I know that someone wants to understand why I am going on about this, instead of talking about the appointment of a new Prime Minister (PM) or addressing the recent issues of gender-based violence (GBV). Believe me when I say, I am livid at the escalating rate of GBV cases in the country and I am somehow proud that a very strict and active pastor Russell Mmiso Dlamini has been appointed PM in the country.

I am angry because the police have allowed psychopaths to parade with guns in the community, even after their violent behaviour was reported to them. In the same vein, I am proud because I believe the new PM, Russell, will raffle feathers as Minister of Police in the country. I know him and I have heard of him, he is not one to be cosy with lazy people. This brings me to the ‘why’ of this column; a combination of all the above issues and how the King is strategically taking silent action on them.

I believe His Majesty’s appointment of Dlamini as new PM was a strategic pawn in the fight against GBV as sehlakalo. The office of former PM Cleopas Sipho Dlamini and his Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) refused to declare GBV as a national disaster; and now appointing a PM with proper understanding of a disaster was crucial in nailing consent for strict laws on the subject.

The issue of GBV might be under the office of the new PM’s deputy, but I believe the PM, as a Christian, is the one who will push his subordinate to declare it as a national pandemic (he has dealt with pandemics before). The king spoke about tehlakalo (disasters) when closing the People’s Parliament and I believe the commitment is there and the political will is evident. His Majesty said the submissions made during Sibaya will form or influence the national policy for the next government.

Deliver

I take interest on the office of the DPM and the PM in the upcoming government. My focus for the next five years will be on them and whether they will deliver on the eradication of poverty, corruption and GBV as well as other social ills. In recent years, countries around the world have passed laws criminalising different forms of gender-based violence. GBV, remains a serious threat for millions of women and girls who face barriers to reporting violence and accessing support services and resources.

We are looking forward to the approach of the new PM and his deputy on such issues. We wait for stricter laws and proper regulations of gun possession in the country. Part of the show watched by His Majesty has been the rush for the office of the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM). The unlikeliest of all political characters presenting themselves as options for the post and I wonder if they were aware that the 2023-2028 National Policy would be built based on the DPM’s office. Most of the five-year-plan deliverables would come from the DPM’s office and Russell akadlali.

The DPM is the man in-charge of the social wellbeing of the country, from disasters, pandemics, social and elderly grants, orphaned and vulnerable children, to GBV issues and poverty reduction, we look up to that man. Now, is Ntondozi MP Peter Ngwenya the man for the job? Do we need a female DPM? The king is once again enjoying the show, as legislators throw themselves before him. He is not tired anymore, this time he is enjoying it. On Wednesday and Thursday, they all took turns introducing and presenting before him their exceptional aspirations. Nomalungelo LaZwide Simelane spoke passionately on the welfare of the nation; is she the woman? After all, the king seems to be enjoying the suspense and surprises.

Shocker

No one thought National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Russell Mmiso Dlamini could be appointed PM. It was a shocker to many and that’s what the king seems to be enjoying recently.

Robert Moore, in his commentary King, Warrior, Magician elucidates that a good king delights in noticing and promoting good men to positions of responsibility in his kingdom.

He emphasises that the king holds audience, primarily not to be seen but to see, admire and delight in his subjects. These are characters of a king in his element. The King is the head of State and subsequent leader of the executive arm of governance and as such, is charged with making decisions. His ability to be decisive is rooted in two things. First, on who he is and what he stands for; the King’s core values are centered on those firm and unchanging principles.

So, when a crisis comes, he does not waver because he has already determined the course he will take.

Secondly, the king seasons his decisions with experience. His experiences provide him with practical wisdom: the knowledge of how to do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons. Therefore, no amount of gimmicks can change his decision; he has already proven that during the Sibaya, when he appointed the new PM.

The king understood his assignment very well and he excellently handled it. His was to wait until the last hour; to wait for all and watch others squirm in anticipation of who will be appointed. He took all the suggestions on corruption, poverty, welfare, funding and many others from the People’s Parliament; he poured them in one pot and picked out the name Mmemo Russel Dlamini (never mind the first name, that’s how he announced him).

One man that took seriously the issue of campaigning for a position before the King was Senator Chief Mvimbi Matse, who even blamed other Members of Parliament (MPs) for failing to articulate their aspirations before the king. He went to strategically place himself as a suitable candidate in the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development. While the meetings with His Majesty was solely for the introduction of the MPs and to share what they would be advocating for in parliament, some took the chance campaign for positions.

They put on quite a show and the king enjoyed every bit of it.

remembered

I must mention that some made meaningful presentations like MP Prince Lindani, Senator Nonhlanhla Savannah Maziya and Marwick Khumalo. However others opted for comedy with the hope of being remembered by the king.

I want to disappoint them and state that just like the shocker in the PM’s announcement; His Majesty will pull one on you once again. The show will get more interesting as we near the appointment of emabandla (councils).

The constitutionality of the appointment of the PM or the backdated gazette is a subject for another day. The fact that the new PM made a submission at the Sibaya and the king based his appointment decision on submissions made by the People’s Parliament is enough to legalise the appointment. Section 232 of the Constitution states that the people, through Sibaya, constitute the highest policy and advisory council (Libandla) for the nation.

The section further states that the Sibaya is the Swazi National Council constituted by bantfwabenkhosi, the tikhulu of the realm and all adult citizens gathered at the official residence of the Ndlovukazi under the chairmanship of iNgwenyama who may delegate this function to any official. The functions of Sibaya, according to the section, are to be the annual general meeting of the nation. It may be convened at anytime to present the views of the nation on pressing and controversial national issues.

Source: times

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