By Zweli Martin Dlamini

Even after learning about the death of senior Prince Masitsela, Mswati continued with his international trips and the State controlled media reported that he was looking for investors.

Perhaps, if one could contextualize the royal family in the corporate aspect, we can safely say Prince Masitsela was a Board Chairperson of the institution of the Monarch and Mswati is the Chief Executive Officer(CEO).

Unfortunately, the members of the ‘Governing Board’ who were with Sobhuza when he established the Tinkhundla system are no more and Mswati seems not to understand what the death of Prince Masitsela means to the Throne.

Tinkhundla was Sobhuza’s brainchild, he knew how to manipulate and unite the people politically and died loved by many Swazis, Mswati is in a serious mess now.

Prince Masitsela deserved a State funeral not because we agreed with all his previous sentiments but some of us who had an opportunity to know him personally, we can confirm that he had the best interest of the Swazis at heart.

During Sibaya, Prince Masitsela once said “Siyabonga Ngwenyama kutsi sitfole lelitfuba sitotihhamula,” others attacked him because they didn’t understand what he meant with that statement.

After he tried in vain to convince the King to reform the system and be a Constitutional Monarch, the Prince was actually telling the Nation indirectly that King Mswati will not listen to their Sibaya submissions.

Again, when the Commonwealth instructed former President Bakili Muluzi as eSwatini envoy to facilitate democratic reforms, Prince Masitsela who tried to convince the King to engage those calling for change in a dialogue, was told to back-off.

At the time, Mswati was listening to the then Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini as his Principal Advisor, senior royal family members with critical information on how to manage the system politically, were sidelined 

Now, Mswati has been held hostage by hungry opportunists like Attorney General(AG) Sifiso Khumalo who advise him with an intention to benefit, it’s just a matter of time before the institution of the Monarch falls.

Mswati’s refusal to allow the people to elect their own Government suggests that he wants to die with the institution because the people are already calling for democracy without the Monarchy.