By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini’s corpse was allegedly discovered with symptoms suggesting that he might have died from food poisoning.

An independent investigation by this Swaziland News uncovered that on or around the 26th December 2020, Gogo Mtsetfwa of eSitjeni, an elderly woman tasked with ensuring that royal dead bodies are properly buried allegedly made a shocking discovery,  the upper part of the Prime Minister's  corpse particularly the mouth was decaying.

Electronic evidence in our possession suggests that after making the discovery, Gogo Mtsetfwa called other close royal insiders to view the body, she then stated categorically that the Prime Minister did not die of COVID-19 but was poisoned, in Siswati, Mtsetfwa said “Bukani lomuntfu bamdlisile”.

When reached for comments, Gogo Mtsetfwa was reluctant to comment about the matter, she only confirmed that the PM’s body was moved from the mortuary to the church, then to the royal burial Mountain at Dlangeni.

“Kute lengingakusho kuloko mntfwanami, kodvwa nje sidvumbu sisuke eMoshali saya esontfweni, kwabese kuyiwa eNtsabeni(There is nothing I can say about that, but his body was moved from the mortuary to the church and then to the burial Mountain” she said.

Speaking to this publication, Bheki Mamba,  a health expert and President of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) said the whole funeral of the late Prime Minister suggests that he did not die of COVID-19.

“That was not a funeral for a person who died due to COVID-19, in the first instance, such funerals should not be attended by a large crowd, those few who are allowed to attend and carry the coffin should be in full Personal Protective Clothing(PPEs). We saw that close family members were even allowed to view the body, under normal circumstances, family members are not allowed to view the body, it comes from the mortuary wrapped in a white plastic and no one is allowed to view it”,said the nurses President.

When asked to to clarify if some parts of the body for a person who died of COVID-19 can decay, Mamba said that was not possible unless there was a delay in taking the body to the mortuary.

“COVID-19 affects the lungs and blocks oxygen to the body, so we expect the body of a person who died of the virus to be fresh unless there was a delay in taking that body to the mortuary. However,if the family of the Prime Minister noticed some suspicious symptoms in the body suggesting that he did not die of COVID-19, they must engage a pathologist to determine the real cause of death”, he said.

Efforts to reach Dumile Portia Dlamini, the wife to the late Prime Minister proved unsuccessful, her phone was busy and when she tried to call back, the call was terminated pre-maturely. Insiders within the corridors of power told this publication that in the midst of unanswered questions regarding the death of the PM, his wife remains in danger because she is believed to have critical information regarding the real cause of death.

“It’s a very sensitive matter and the safety of the wife should be prioritized because she knows the whole truth”, said an insider within the corridors of power.

On 13th December 2020, Senator Themba Masuku, the Deputy Prime Minister Acting on behalf of King Mswati informed the Nation through a press statement that Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini had died, however, the cause of death was not specified.

“Their Majesties have commanded that I inform the Nation of the sad and untimely passing away of His Excellency the Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini”,read the statement in part.

Information gathered from royal insiders suggests that shortly after the PM fell sick, King Mswati allegedly offered that he be admitted and be treated at the Manzana Royal Hospital, however some close family members allegedly expressed discomfort with the arrangement saying his security was not guaranteed in the midst of the power-struggle with some members of the royal family.

It has been reported that King Mswati later offered his private jet for the PM to be airlifted to South Africa, however, it transpired that at the time, he was already critical and subsequently died.

But subsequent to the sad news that shocked the Nation and the world, it is alleged that the royal clique that wanted to oust the Prime Minister used the Times of eSwatini to cloud the public opinion after critical debates on social media questioning the real cause of the PM’s death, an unsuspecting father to the PM Prince Mphatfwa was quickly quoted saying he doesn’t believe that his son was poisoned.

“The family of the late Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini has rubbished claims that the deceased may have been poisoned” read a report published by the Times that further maintained that the PM died of COVID-19.

An independent investigation by this publication uncovered that few days later, shortly after Prince Mphatfwa Dlamini told the Times that his son was not poisoned, a serious misunderstanding erupted between him and the late Prime Minister’s wife. Sources very close to the late PM’s wife told this publication that even though she was recovering from the pain of losing her husband, she  had a serious disagreement with her father-in law after he conducted an interview with the media regarding the death of her husband.

“She is fine, we are monitoring her condition, this whole thing affected her because she was very close to her husband”,said a source.

On or around January 2020, this Swaziland News reported that Princess Sikhanyiso, the powerful first born daughter of King Mswati was intensifying moves to oust the Prime Minister from power, this was in the midst of a power struggle after the Princess claimed she was the third most senior person in the country after King Mswati and the Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala, the Princess subsequently boycotted Cabinet saying she will not resume her duties as the Information, Communications and Technology(ICT) Minister until the PM was removed.

The King’s daughter later sent series of threatening text messages to this journalist saying by publishing the story he was inviting death. 

“You clearly are aiming for political imprisonment but in sympathy, I say, no one will turn you into a hero, Mr Dlamini. You are not becoming a martyr: no one is going to kill you, sorry bru” read one of the text messages.

The Princess later sent more messages saying the Prime Minister whom she described as this journalist’s role model will soon be in tears, she consistently maintained that Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini was not the third most senior person in the country.

“You and your role model shall remain cognizant of only one thing,laSomhlolo leli, utatilila. The PM is not third in the line of seniority in the land; follow the salutations during the next national event” read a text   message sent to this journalist.

However, after the death of the PM,  the Princess later denied that she wanted to oust the Prime Minister so she can take over his position as Head of Government saying Prime Ministers are selected from the royal households of Dlamini not the ruling household.

This was after she was heavily questioned by members of the public to explain if the death of the PM was not linked to the power struggle between her and the late Head of Government.

“Prime Ministers are selected from the royal households of Dlamini but not the ruling household, so stop degrading yourself with these infantile thoughts” said the Princess when responding to a member of the public on Instagram who blamed her for allegedly plotting to remove the Prime Minister.