By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini is now hands-on in an effort to implement the King’s ‘Nkwe’ Sibaya Development Policy amid a serious fallout and division within Cabinet.

In the past few weeks, the Prime Minister has been seen communicating minor Government decisions through press statements, some of these decisions were previously “communicated to the Nation through Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo and Cabinet Ministers as they fall within their Portfolios or jurisdiction”.

The division in Cabinet particularly, the fallout between Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo and the PM was widely reported by this Swaziland News, Nxumalo has been sidelined from releasing key or important Government press statements or communicating official State information for sometime now.

The Government Spokesperson is now active on his social media pages where “he expresses love for King Mswati and the institution of the Monarchy”, Nxumalo is alleged to be lobbying for another contract of employment and it remains to be seen if the Civil Service Commission(CSC) will demonstrate power over the PM and renew the Government Spokesperson’s contract.

Insiders within Cabinet told this publication that, “the Government Spokesperson is allegedly part of a powerful syndicate within the Tinkhundla system that sabotages PM so that he could be seen failing”, the Prime Minister is alleged to have gathered information through the State Intelligence Unit and subsequently ‘kicked-out’ or sidelined Nxumalo but gradually.

“In most instances, they would try to counter your stories by attending public events together and take pictures to diffuse the narrative suggesting that, Cabinet is divided but now, the tension is at another level such that, it’s even hard to pretend”, said Cabinet insider.

Information obtained by this publication from the State Intelligence Unit suggests that, after Bheki Makhubu, the Nation Magazine editor clashed with the PM, Nxumalo vigorously defended the Prime Minister but, he later made calls to some State editors and politicians close to him, disclosing the division inside Cabinet.

The Government Spokesperson allegedly said;

“Ningangiboni ngim-defenda kangaka lomuntfu lona, sicabene mbamba(meaning; even though I am defending him, we have a serious conflict”.

On Wednesday, the PM released a press statement, announcing the introduction of radiotherapy services in eSwatini amid rise in incidence of Non-Communicable Diseases(NCDs) but, under normal circumstances, this announcement could have been made by Health Minister Mduduzi Matsebula.

“The need for radiotherapy services has reached an urgent level, and many patients are currently seeking treatment in neighboring countries, but the high costs of foreign treatment is often prohibitive. By expanding radiotherapy options, we can ensure broader access to essential care and reduce reliance on costly overseas treatments”, reads the statement in part, released by the Prime Minister.

Nxumalo declined to comment and clarify why “he has been sidelined and stopped from releasing important Government press statements”.

But after a series of articles published by this Swaziland News and exposing the division in Cabinet, Nxumalo then tried to counter the information by either appearing in public with important Government officials or requesting an interview with the South African media.

But when the Mozambique political unrest erupted, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini was also hands-on, he communicated a Government position in support of refugees and soon thereafter, Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo was seen on NewsRoom Afrika being interviewed on the same matter while inside a house with scraped walls.

It has been disclosed that, the seriousness of the division within Cabinet if not resolved, might affect service delivery.

But the Prime Minister is reportedly working on a Cabinet reshuffle including facilitating the reshuffling and appointment of Principal Secretaries(PSs) in key Ministries.