LOBAMBA:Prince MkhandloweNkhosi,the son of iNkhosikati LaMashwama who is normally seen during Army Parade and was suspected to be groomed to be the next King, does not qualify to take the Throne.
This comes after his mother Inkhosikati Siphelele LaMashwama recently gave birth to another child and in terms of eSwatini Law and Custom, a King must be the only child of the Inkhosikati.
Before King Mswati took over as King, other children of the late King Sobhuza who were disqualified like Prince Mkhandlo from ascending to the Throne, due to different reasons bordering around Customary Law include Prince Lonkhonkhela, Prince Maguga and Prince Matatazela.
King Mswati subsequently compensated Prince Maguga and Matatazela by appointing them as Chiefs(BatfwabeNkhosi lababuke imimango) to create unity within the royal household, Prince Lonkhokhela is the current Minister of Natural Resources and Energy.
It has been previously reported by this publication that, Jabulile Mashwama, the power-hungry and ambitious Managing Director(MD) of the Eswatini Water Services Corporation(EWSC) forced her child out of the Rochester University in the United States(US), and handed her over to King Mswati through kwendzisa with the hope that, she will become the Queen and give birth to a King.
Inkhosikati LaMashwama first got pregnant and there were allegations suggesting that,the first child before Prince Mkhandlo was secretly ‘aborted’ as the alleged intention was to get a son.
But King’s Spokesperson Simelane, when asked by this Swaziland News to clarify why the young Prince marched with the army during such an important event in the history of the country said,the event was not meant to parade MkhandloweNkhosi as the next King.
“In this country, an heir to the Throne is discussed and chosen only by Emagunqa,an authorized team of senior princes.He is announced publicly only when his predecessor has passed away.We are not aware of any other method or formulae associated with the identification of the next king.Our experience is that when the army marches small boys in military gear also march along, from time to time.This does not happen only in Eswatini but in a number of countries around the world. We have no reasons to think the young prince in question was being paraded as an heir to the Throne yesterday. It doesn’t happen like that,” said the King’s Spokesperson earlier,when responding to a questionnaire from this publication.
When Prince Mkhandlo first appeared with the Army Parade during the 55-55 Independence and King’s Birthday at Somhlolo National Stadium, there were speculations suggesting that,he might be the next King.
But a senior Prince who is a son to the late King Sobhuza when interviewed at the time, dismissed the speculations saying, it was against eSwatini culture for the current King to identify his successor while still alive.
“What normally happens is that when the King dies, a Council of senior royal family members and Chiefs come together to discuss and identify the next King among the deserving children. That Prince must be the only child to his mother, kodvwa-ke tintfo tiyashitja. Kulukhuni nalokucabanga kutsi kungaba yi-Crown Prince lena ngoba kwayona leNkhosi lekhona iseyincane Hlubie ina 55years isatotsatsa bafati itale bantfwana”, said the senior Prince who is a son to King Sobhuza.
But another royal insider who leaked the information to this journalist this week, saying iNkhosikati LaMashwama has been disqualified after giving birth to another child said, even if LaMashwama did not get pregnant,it would have been hard for her to become a Queen without the approval of the King’s senior wife and allegations of a previous pregnancy that was suspected to have been secretly terminated prematurely.
It is alleged that,iNkhosikati LaMashwama was under strict supervision to ensure that,this time she gives birth and the pregnancy is not prematurely terminated.
“Noma ngabe akakhulelwa watala lomtfwana lokhona bekangeke nje ngoba Mkhandlo is the second child,yeyi iNkhosi sihlala nayo ihle iticoca nje kancane kutsi letintfo tihamba njani,the King is very strict on Eswatini Law and Custom.Ukholelwa kakhulu emadlotini, akafuni kucabana nawo utsi lesihlalo sisimiswe ngiwo. I should have told you earlier,LaMashwama is even back at Manzana with her new child.The King is still young and the next King is not even among his current children.Futsi lapha kuna-senior wife uyatiwa nje lolonesimilo lesihle, noma kungaba khona lokwentekako eNkhosini kungabamba yena and she can have all the powers to identify the next King among the other children if her children doesn’t qualify. She can even identify a young woman for the King depending on their agreement to give birth to the next King. The senior wife is a senior personal Advisor to the King.So it’s case closed for LaMashwama and her son Mkhandlo”, said one of the King’s bodyguards.
Prince Mkhandlo.