Africa-Press – Eswatini. After returning from the OR Tambo International Airport after an alleged royal command communicated by Clerk to Parliament Benedict Xaba, Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo has proceeded with the trip to USA.
The existence of any royal command to the effect that Khumalo and the trio of Senator Mkhululi Dlamini, Hhohho Regional Administrator (RA) Princess Tsandzile and Elections and Boundaries Commission’s (EBC) Lungile Magagula should not travel to United States of America (USA) for a political dialogue-oriented programme was denied by Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo.
Khumalo confirmed through a statement that he had travelled to the USA.
He explained that after giving due consideration to government’s statement suggesting that he was hallucinating that there was a royal command stopping the trip fully sponsored by the US Embassy, and added to that, was that he had been prevented from travelling because of pending court cases, he therefore resolved to use his valid air ticket and restarted the journey to USA.
“I arrived safely this morning to a gracious reception,” Khumalo disclosed.
He said throughout his political career, he had weathered multiple storms to be chastised or rather become a playground for clumsy civil servants who have become too big for their boots and have no understanding of their responsibilities.
“No man has a right to pull me down,” Khumalo emphasised.
As stated in the interview with one the weekend publications, against the belief of many, Khumalo insisted that he still has some degree of respect for authority.
“I sincerely believed that it was a genuine royal command and expected to get the reasons in due course, until I was told otherwise and in the process unduly insulted,” he said.
Khumalo mentioned that he also respects the views of the many Emaswati who reached out and registered their unhappiness as to why he disembarked from the plane at OR Tambo International Airport.
Unfortunately, he said his late father instilled in him a lot, in terms of respect for others, not just authority, but that respect was not without revocation if not reciprocated.
“Having served at the highest level of many international parliamentary forums in my career, I have never seized the opportunity to scandalise my country despite its iniquities and shortcomings in the area of good governance, but I have always believed that as a member of parliament I have a forum back home to discuss these issues, difficult as it is currently. I still hold that view,” Khumalo explained.
He clarified that he was not in the USA representing the House of Assembly because that was not how the invitation reached him.
Had it been so, Khumalo said a letter would have been directed to the Speaker Petros Mavimbela requesting him to nominate an MP.
He said he had informed the Speaker about his absence as it was procedural.
“In conclusion, why should it be an issue when I am invited by international partners who have diplomatic links with the country, whereas the airspace has become ministers and preferred parliamentarians second home, courtesy of the tax-paying citizens?
As I was reading the Bible in the plane, my eyes fell on Galatians 4:16,” he added.
The verse reads; ‘Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?’
Nxumalo said he was not aware that Khumalo had proceeded with the trip to USA and referred all questions to the Parliament Clerk.
Xaba also said he was unaware that Khumalo had left the country and declined to comment further.
Mavimbela could be not be reached for comment. The last call to him was made at 6:11pm.
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