MBABANE:King Mswati allegedly intervened by re-deploying newly appointed member of the King’s Advisory Council Lydia Dlamini as the Acting National Commissioner of Police amid infighting and scramble for the position by Senior Deputy Commissioners Emmanuel Sula Dlamini and Vusi Masango.
Lydia Dlamini was appointed as the King’s Advisor about two(2) weeks ago but,the King had to re-deploy her to act in the position until further notice to stabilize the organization
The Acting National Commissioner,according to insiders,will then resume her duties as the King’s Advisor after the appointment of the new Commissioner.
But it remains unclear if the King will appoint one of the fighting Senior Deputy Commissioners who are vigorously scrambling for the position or he will surprise the police organization with a completely different name.
It has been disclosed that,former National Commissioner Senator Isaac Mmemo Magagula “is at the centre of the fighting two(2) Senior Deputy Commissioners, the Senator is allegedly lobbying for his own candidate to take over the organization as the new Commissioner.
“Magagula is causing the confusion, there are two(2) factions within the Police Executive Command,it’s the Tsintsibala and Isaac Magagula factions. These former Commissioners had their own trusted senior police officers within the organization”,said the insider.
This is not the first time Senator Magagula interferes to divide the police organization,before the appointment of the late William Tsintsibala Dlamini,the Senator was allegedly lobbying for the late Richard Govuza Mngomezulu to take over as Police National Commissioner as he was not in good terms with the late Tsintsibala Dlamini.
The King subsequently appointed Tsintsibala Dlamini while Mngomezulu died while hoping for a contract renewal as Deputy National Commissioner,King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane later told this publication that, the King was not obligated to renew contracts for Mngomezulu and other retired senior police officers adding that,the King “will only do so if their services were still needed”.
But as the fight within the Police Executive Command intensifies after the appointment of Lydia Dlamini as the King’s Advisor leaving the National Commissioner’s post vacant,the King was consulted and he subsequently issued an order re-deploying Lydia Dlamini to the position.
“Officers of all ranks and Staff of the Royal Eswatini Service are notified for general information that, Ms Lydia Sijabulisile Dlamini, Senior Deputy National Commissioner of Police will continue in her role and position as the Acting National Commissioner of Police with immediate effect until otherwise directed by His Majesty The King and National Commissioner-in-Chief of the Royal Eswatini Police Service”,reads a memo in part,directed to all police officers, the memo is dated 29th May 2024.
The memo in possession of this Swaziland News was circulated after the King’s order re-deploying Lydia Dlamini to stabilize or bring order to the police organization.
Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati,the Police Spokesperson had not responded at the time of compiling this report and Senator Isaac Magagula declined to comment about the matter.
On another note,the King is highly expected to announce the new National Commissioner during the upcoming Police Day.
King Mswati.