MBABANE:Sive Siyinqaba National Movement, a political organization came hard on King Mswati who allegedly blocked Member of Parliament(MP) Marwick Khumalo from attending a political dialogue oriented Leadership program in the United States(US).
Khumalo, a pro-democracy MP was allegedly blocked by Mswati from travelling to the US after he expressed his views inside Parliament calling for political solutions to the political crisis in eSwatini.
In a public statement sent to this Swaziland News on Sunday, Ngomyayona Gamedze, the Sive Siyinqaba Acting Chairman said the country was slowly sinking into a state of ungovernability driven personally, by King Mswati.
“Sive Siyinqaba National Movement is concerned and remains observant of the slippery slope speed that the country is taking sinking into a state of ungovernability driven personally by King Mswati III. His interference in parliamentary processes not only does it remove any doubt of his dictatorial rule of all the arms of Government, but it also reaffirms the fact that the Constitution remains ineffective so long as the 1973 decree remains in place, since it was never repealed.Issuing a command for the removal of some members of Parliament from travelling to the United States for a fully sponsored leadership program demonstrates that the diplomatic relations between the United States of America and ESwatini are at an all time low, because the King has of late become suspicious of the US,” reads the statement in part.
Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo released a statement on Sunday clarifying that MP Khumalo was not blocked through a royal command but he was prevented from travelling to the US due to his pending court cases.
But MP Marwick Khumalo confirmed that he was personally informed by Clerk to Parliament Benedict Xaba that Mswati ordered him not to travel to the United States(US).
Clerk to Parliament Benedict Xaba when ‘covering-up’ Mswati’s command, told the Times of eSwatini that procedure was not followed when the trip was facilitated by the United States.
Reached for comment by this Swaziland News earlier, Stephanie Sandoval, the Spokesperson of the Embassy of the United States Eswatini Embassy said they have been in touch with the Government on the issue and referred this publication to the eSwatini Government for further comments.
“We’ve been in touch with the Eswatini Government and we refer any questions to them,” she said.
MP Marwick Khumalo was blocked by Mswati from attending the International Visitors Leadership Program(IVLP) after expressing his views inside Parliament calling for political solutions to resolve the ongoing political crisis in eSwatini.
King Mswati.