MBABANE: Alec Lushaba, the editor of the Swazi Observer has advised Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini to be loyal only to King Mswati and ignore those who are criticizing him and his church.
This comes at the time when the Head of Government was facing huge criticism from the independent media and Parliament over the current COVID-19 blunders and the alleged influence of his JC church in the operations of government.
It has been reported that government has failed to distribute food to the people despite receiving over E500million donations from private companies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and international partners. But in an article published on Monday, the veteran editor who long declared loyalty to the King said the traditional name of the PM ‘Sibaya’ should be a reminder to everyone that he was the first Prime Minister to be appointed after impressing the King and the Nation at Sibaya
“His name is so significant and symbolic in that it reminds everyone, including himself that he was the first prime minister to be appointed after he had impressed the King and the nation at Sibaya.For the first time in the country’s history, the King and Ingwenyama before appointing him requested several names of potential candidates to be paraded and tell the nation how they would revive the economy, further deliver Vision 2022 and deal with the challenges thereto.The prime minister came out of that process with flying colours and his ideas wowed not only the King but the country at large” the editor writes.
Reached for comments, Mlungisi Makhanya, the President of the People's United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said as an organisation, they were not surprised with the comments of the editor saying this has become his trademark
"However, we believe that the Prime Minister should be loyal to the people because by so doing he would be demonstrating loyalty to the King" said the PUDEMO leader.
Lushaba advised the PM to walk talk knowing very well that he owes no one a favor and his church should be proud of him.
“There may have been some people who were behind his nomination as one of the candidates, maybe some people from the church, but the process that propelled him to power meant that those forces’ influence was weakened.The prime minister must walk tall knowing very well that he owes no one a favour. His church must only be proud that he is one of their own and nothing more. He must pay his total allegiance to His Majesty the King and Ingwenyama.Manzini South MP Thandi Nxumalo expressed concern that there were Cabinet ministers who were not respecting the office of the PM” the editor writes.
Alec Lushaba is one of the editors who openly declared support for the current Tinkhundla system of governance that promotes allegiance only to the King not accountability of public power to the people.
King Mswati III