By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Luke Lushaba, the Chief Fire Officer(CFO) was among those who vigorously opposed the implementation of a policy, converting the Fire Department into a security force, at the time he was a leader of the Fire Department trade union under the then Swaziland National Association Civil Servants(SNACS).

Documents in possession of this Swaziland News suggest that, on or around 21st May 2004, Luke Lushaba who recently organized an inaugural National Fire Day, took Government to the Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration Commission(CMAC) opposing the transformation of the Department under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development into a security force, employees were already disciplined like security officers and this, did not go down well with Lushaba who was a trade unionist.

But this month, Lushaba was seen with King Mswati officially transforming the Department of Fire into a security force, Mswati graced the inaugural National Fire Day.

“The Respondent is hereby ordered to cease forthwith from the practice of applying all forms of military discipline whatsoever as guidelines for applying discipline in event an offense is committed are adequately covered in the General Orders and PART IV of the Public Service Act of 1973”, reads the Arbitration Award in part that was own by the now Chief Fire Officer. 

It has been disclosed that, Lushaba has now found himself having to violate court and CMAC orders that he fought for on behalf of the employees while he was a trade unionist, he declined to comment about the matter.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News, Wandile Dludlu, the Deputy President of eSwatini’s main and largest political party, the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said, Luke Lushaba “is among the long list of comrades who sold the struggle”, for short-term gains but generational losses.

“You know there are a lot of comrades who sold the struggle to become activists of the regime yet being a civil servant does not necessarily mean, you must be an activist of the current system.Converting the Fire Department into a security force does not make sense considering the nature of the job and Lushaba was opposed to that while he was a trade union leader but, here is Lushaba now, implementing the decisions he opposed just because, he sold the struggle for short-term gains but generational losses”, said the PUDEMO Deputy President.