By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:King Mswati allegedly advised Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini to find possible ways of reaching an agreement with editor Zweli Martin Dlamini and reverse the directive banning all public officials from responding to this Swaziland News.

The King through his Spokesperson Percy Simelane, has been responding and having his stories published with balanced responses ever since Government banned public officials from responding to this independent online publication.

It has been disclosed that, the King told the PM that he must never be personal against the editor but engage him.

“Utsi ubone late kutsi Inkhosi iyalifundza leliphepha, imtjele kutsi Zwemart utakubhala namuhla nakukhona lokonile ungamlwisi, utawutsi uyavuka kusasa nakukuhle ukhandze akubhale kahle futsi sewusukile kuwe sogijimisa labanye. So he has just realised that those who advised him not to respond were actually isolating him politically,” said a high profile emissary who is engaging the editor on behalf of the Prime Minister.

On another note, editor Zweli Martin Dlamini confirmed being engaged but said, he was against working with the Prime Minister privately, he wants on open engagement that will not compromise the independence of the publication.

“The PM doesn’t need to pay any cent to have his side of the story communicated in this publication, we are affiliated to the Press Council and ethically obligated to be fair in our reporting. I was only against the idea communicated by the PM’s first emissaries who suggested a secret but commercial working relationship because that would have compromised the publication and prevented it from holding those in power accountable.It’s not my first engaging with a Prime Minister, the late Barnabas Dlamini used to send the then Government Spokesperson Percy or Deputy Sabelo Dlamini to engage me. The King uses Percy to engage if he wants a certain issue to be communicated or clarified. It’s the PM who was ill-advised by individuals with ulterior motives because when running a Government you need both the independent and State owned media. We are building and serving the Nation here and, we shouldn’t be afraid to engage and correct our past decisions. The ban was communicated publicly and if there’s a reversal it must be made public as well so that, other public officials can know,” said the editor.