By Zweli Martin Dlamini

NOKWANE:Army Commander Moses Mashikilisane Fakudze was on Wednesday, summoned by Defense Principal Secretary(PS) Prince Sicalo and Chief Officer Prince Hlangabeza.

The urgent meeting took place at the Ministry of Defense and State Security Offices at Lozitha Palace and was meant to deliver an urgent message from the Commander-in-Chief King Mswati, to the Army Commander amid tension within the Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force(UEDF).

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Friday morning, Prince Hlangabeza, the Chief Officer in the Ministry of Defense and State Security politely asked not to comment about the meeting, he said to him it was great to hear the voice of this journalist meaning “he is alive” and safe.

“Ngicela Hlubi kungasho lutfo, lengingakusho nje kutsi Nkulunkulu amane angigcinele wena uphephe lapho ukhona Hlubi, nako lengingakusho. Loku sengive kutsi uyaphila sekukhulu kimi loko lolokunye Nkhosi ngicela ungangibuti”, said the Prince who was also part of the meeting.

On another note, the Army Commander who is now a subject of a royal investigation was exposed by this publication for allegedly looting about R20million monies belonging to soldiers and subsequently closed the Burial Fund that was assisting soldiers with “imali yekulila” amounting to twelve thousand Rands(R12,000.00) when visiting families to mourn the death of another soldier. 

But apart from that, the Commander Fakudze has been receiving five thousand Rands(R5,000.00) per-week as “litiya la-Commander” from Hlalawati, a Saving and Cooperative Fund belonging to soldiers, the looted monies since Fakudze took over as the Army Commander, amount to about R1million.

A few days ago, this publication reported that, the Army Commander informed Commanding Officers(COs) during a meeting held at Nokwane Headquarters that, King Mswati “has commissioned an investigation to investigate the allegations published by the Swaziland News against him”.