By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini allegedly lied to King Mswati about Information, Communication and Technology(ICT) Minister Savannah Maziya saying the recently launched multibillion Google deal was not approved by Cabinet.

The Google deal is one of the ICT Minister’s successful projects she implemented in an effort to digitalize the country and, position it to compete with the world amid the dynamics of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

It has been disclosed that, after the Prime Minister lied, the King subsequently ordered his Private Secretary Mbongeni Simelane to investigate the matter and it was discovered that, there was a Cabinet resolution and the PM was fully aware of the technology project.

Senior royal insiders very close to King Mswati told this Swaziland News and shared some information where the Prime Minister was not only speaking about the plot to discredit the Google project but even the forensic investigation at the Royal Science and Technology Park(RSTP).

The PM allegedly said he was aware that, the RSTP forensic report might implicate the then Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Prince Vumile and SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff “hence he wants to remove Savannah Maziya as the ICT Minister before the report is even tabled or presented to Cabinet”.

Both the PM and Vumile Dlamini are allegedly part of Swazipharm Director Kareem Ashraf’s influential and powerful political syndicate and, Minister Savannah Maziya “has allegedly become a target after launching the forensic investigation at the RSTP where Kareem Ashraff was allegedly looting millions of public funds”,

The information shared by senior royal insiders to this journalist further suggests that, the Prime Minister allegedly said, he will make sure that “Prince Vumile is not arrested even if the forensic report could implicate him saying, it cannot be proper to arrest a person who is very close to the King”.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News, King Mswati’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane said, he was not aware of the King’s intervention amid tension between ICT Minister Savannah Maziya and the Prime Minister.

“We are not aware of any move by the King towards addressing the alleged tension between the Minister for ICT and the Prime Minister.We will continue to expect him to remain a Skylap Observer until it is very necessary for him to intervene,” said the King’s Spokesperson.

The PM rushed to have an interview with Swazi Observer Managing editor Mbongeni Mbingo after being questioned by Parliament why he was sabotaging the ICT Minister and during the interview,Russell Mmiso Dlamini spoke about a cabal operating outside Government and with a different political agenda.

But a high profile trusted servant to King Mswati told this publication on Sunday evening that, the PM was intensifying his mission to discredit the Information Minister before the King.

“He told the King that Savannah does not have money, she claims to be rich yet she wants to abuse her powers to make money in the country. The problem here is that, Savannah is too intelligent way above the PM and she has her own money, that’s why after the Prime Minister blocked her international trips, she used her money for State duties.Lokunye lokungahle kumcabanise neNkhosi Ndvunankhulu langakunaki kutsi nakunemhlangano lana lo-private ikhuluma naye Inkhosi ujaka kuyiphendvula isakhuluma ayichazele, uhlala ane-opinion kuyoyonkhe intfo. Kani phela emhlanganweni nayikhuluma iNkhosi awuyiphindziliti noma ukhulume ingakacedzi, uyema icedze. Yena uyijuba isakhuluma bese iyabindza iyambukisisa.Loku lokwashiwo ngu-Prince Mabandla kuwe nje kutsi ukhuluma non-stop vele wenta njalo,” said the royal insider very close to King Mswati.

Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini declined to comment about the matter while efforts to reach Information Minister Savannah Maziya proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

But the tension between the PM and the ICT Minister was exclusively reported by this Swaziland News a few months after the appointment of Cabinet and this, was after the Prime Minister “who was overcome by emotions”, allegedly banged the table(kushaya litafula) during a Cabinet meeting when addressing the Minister.

The ICT Minister subsequently warned the PM not to dare bang the table when speaking to her saying, even her husband never banged tables when addressing her.