MBABANE:A senior and long-serving journalist says former Member of Parliament(MP) Mthandeni Dube is bypassing traditional protocol by rushing or aspiring to attend and dance Incwala with Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Prince Simelane.
The long-serving journalist who contacted Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini after reading the story on this publication, said the late Times Sunday editor Vusi Ginindza faced a similar problem some years ago after being mislead by the then Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini.
“Vusi Ginindza was promised by the then Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini that, the King wanted to appoint him as an Ambassador and therefore he must attend Incwala so that the King can see him there, the regime was trying to neutralize him as he was critical. When he arrived at Sibaya-Ludzidzini Palace he wanted to dance in the first line where he was going to be seen by the King but members of eMabutfo grabbed and removed him because even though he was popular in the media and the country, members of the regiments only recognize another Umbutfo, they don’t care about your status in society. Bamhhudvula bamkhweshisa kamatima lapha babuta kutsi “sewakuphi manje lona, ngubani lona?. Wabuya akwatile walahla lemvunulo watsi ayikho lentfo yase-Ncwaleni. So Mthandeni wants to dance Incwala with Justice Minister Prince Simelane yet it doesn’t work like that in terms of eSwatini culture, he must first undergo kubutseka so that, he can be known as one of them,” said the veteran journalist who gave editor Zweli Martin Dlamini a go ahead to publish the story without mentioning his name.
This Swaziland News published a story earlier on Monday about ex-MP Mthandeni Dube who allegedly made a call to Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Prince Simelane, asked to attend Incwala ceremony and dance next to the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister.
The released ex-MP’s request was rejected by the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister who advised him to consult his uMphakatsi, Prince Simelane is the same royal family member who allegedly tricked the former MP to apologise to Mswati before his conditional release.
Worth-noting, the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) Working Group delivered a ruling directing the eSwatini Government to release Dube and ex-MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza.
The two(2) MPs were arrested and subsequently convicted on politically motivated terrorism charges, MP Bacede Mabuza remains behind bars and might be released soon amid international pressure.
Justice Minister Prince Simelane.