LOBAMBA: : Royalty through Ludzidzini Governor Lusendvo Fakudze has warned Parliament against debating motions that are systematically submitted to the House to undermine the authority of the King.
This comes after Motshane Member of Parliament Robert Magongo tried to stop the Executive Arm of Government from providing transport to citizens who want to attend cultural and or national events. Senior royal sources told this publication that the motion was allegedly meant to weaken the popularity of the King by sabotaging cultural events that are instrumental in the traditional authority of the Monarchy. MP Magongo is allegedly a member of a powerful political syndicate linked to Sive Siyinqaba, Sibahle Sihle that currently controls and influences the affairs of Parliament. Speaking to this Swaziland News on the subject matter, Governor Lusendvo Fakudze said as royalty, they noted with great concern that some motions and submissions in the House of Assembly were systematically pushing the political agenda of undermining and weakening the power of the King. The Governor wondered what was wrong with government transporting citizens to their King or national events adding that all the government departments including the cars belong to the King. "What you need to understand is that the government and all the departments including the cars belong to the King, those who want the transportation of citizens to national events to stop had their own political agendas. It doesn't come as a surprise to us because some of the people in Parliament went there to pursue certain agendas" said the Governor.
But an independent investigation by this publication uncovered that the submissions of MP Magongo on the subject matter did not only attract the attention of senior Governors within the royal family but it further divided the House of Assembly as those who were opposed to his sentiments immediately lobbied for a motion to reverse and distance Parliament from the statements. On or around August 2019 at or near Somhlolo National Stadium, during the Swazi Telecom Charity Cup finals, Khubutha MP Musa Nxumalo allegedly received threats from MP Robert Magongo over the subject matter. The stand-off between the two legislators came after MP Nxumalo and other MPs who were opposed to Magongo's submissions tried to register a motion distancing Parliament from these sentiments. It alleged that MP Nxumalo was betrayed by Speaker in the House of Assembly Petros Mavimbela, who allegedly alerted Magongo that Nxumalo was attempting to register a motion to reverse his submissions. The Speaker is allegedly a member of the powerful political syndicate linked to Sive Siyinqaba that currently controls the affairs of Parliament. Reached for comments, MP Musa Nxumalo confirmed that he received threats from Magongo after he tried to register a motion distancing Parliament from his submissions. The Khubutha MP said he did not understand why Magongo and his group wanted Parliament to push his political agenda as they were elected to push the interest of the people. "It's a pity that when people vote for us in the various constituencies, they give us a certain mandate and when we arrive in Parliament, there are people who believe we should dump the people and the country and push their political agenda. I am not siding with anyone but pursuing the agenda of the people who voted me and I don't understand why Magongo threatened me," said the MP.
It is alleged that the matter of the stand-off between the MPs was then reported to the Speaker who sabotaged and prevented it from reaching the public domain as the Presiding Officer was also directly involved in it, siding with Magongo's political syndicate. When reached for comments, the Speaker said he was currently busy and promised to return the call. "I am currently busy and will return your call as soon as I'm done" he said.
The Presiding Officer, never returned the call and when contacted several times later, the phone was received by his Secretary who said he was in meetings. MP Robert Magongo, did not respond to our questionnaire on the subject matter. But senior sources in Parliament told this publication that he tried to make peace with Khubutha MP Musa Nxumalo shortly after receiving the questions from this journalist. "What did you do to Magongo, he is now asking MPs to beg you to drop the story" said one Parliament insider.
