MBABANE:Mthandeni Dube,the convicted Ngwempisi Member of Parliament(MP) has lost his position as a hand-picked Deputy President of the Swaziland Liberation Movement(SWALIMO) after expressing a desire to apologise to King Mswati and dump calls for democratic reforms.
The political party, dominated mostly by Magawugawu’s gospel music followers, was formed at height of the political unrest and key positions within the party and Cabinet were already allocated to individuals.
But most senior and prominent individuals subsequently left SWALIMO, accusing the former Siphofaneni MP of refusing to listen to anyone, saying emaSwati ‘like’ him and therefore, everyone must listen to him.
Busie Mayisela, the former Ezulwini Mayor is among high profile people who left the political organization, she had been offered the position of Deputy Prime Minister.
Dube was offered the position of Deputy President of the organization by Magawugawu Simelane who said he will be the President and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube will occupy the position as his two(2) Deputies once they “are released from prison”.
“I have left these two positions for Bacede and Mthandeni, they will occupy these positions once they are released from prison”, said the SWALIMO President when launching the political organization.
But Dube, through Justice Minister Prince Simelane, expressed a desire to apologise and this was during the Correctional Services Day held in Matsapha on Friday.
On another note, Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza has, through his legal team, distanced himself from SWALIMO however, he had not yet communicated any intention to apologise “but is reportedly holding on” to his political beliefs.
“We can confirm that, my clients asked Magawugawu to remove their pictures from the activities of his SWALIMO as he did not consult with them when forming it but he refused to listen and continued to use my clients’s pictures to market his political party. They couldn’t do anything because they are in prison, they can’t stop him”, said lawyer Sicelo Mngomezulu when speaking to this publication earlier.
Convicted MP Mthandeni Dube loses his position ‘hand-picked’ as SWALIMO Deputy President after expressing desire to apologise to King Mswati, dumps calls for democracy as Bacede distances himself from Magawugawu’s political party.