LOBAMBA: Prince Masitsela was allegedly victimized and fined five(5) cows for attempting to advise King Mswati on issues of democracy.
The senior Prince is currently sick and his close brothers advised this journalist to contact King’s Office Chief Executive Officer(CEO)Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze for a comment.
The Prince once tried to facilitate democracy talks between the progressive movement and the Monarchy, however, royal insiders told this Swaziland News that he was later forced to stay away from the matter.
This was after the Commonwealth appointed former Malawian President Bakili Muluzi as a Special Envoy to eSwatini, to try and facilitate a political dialogue between Mswati and the progressive movement, however, the King is said to have refused to meet the representatives of the pro-democracy groups known as the G15.
“It’s true that he was fined cattle while trying to advise the King, however, it’s now not possible to talk to him. Ngenca yalokugula, he was advised to stay away from a phone and relax(meaning: Due to his health condition, he was advised to stay away from a phone and relax). You can contact Mgwagwa for a comment because he was very close to the King while working on the matter when this happened,” said a senior Prince whose name cannot be named for ethical reasons.
Efforts to reach King’s Office Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments, King’s Office Spokesperson Percy Simelane said it was unfortunate that Prince Masitsela was indisposed as he was better positioned to comment on the matter and share what really happened.
I am not aware.Pity the prince involved is indisposed, otherwise he was best positioned to know what exactly happened,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
It has been disclosed that Mswati allegedly told some senior royal family members, the children of King Sobhuza who wanted to advise him amid the political crisis that they were no longer BantfwabeNkhosi(Princes or Princess) but eMalangeni.
“He told us that we must also stop demanding favours or positions from him ngoba tsine asisasibo BantfwabeNkhosi sesingeMalangeni. Utsi iNkhosi nguye, BatfwabeNkhosi ngulabakhe ngako-ke sitawuva ngaye nakukhona lafuna kusikhangeta kona hhayi kumhlupha(meaning: He even told us to stop demanding positions from him because we are no longer Princes, he is the King and Princes are his children)”, said a senior member of the royal family.
Prince Masitsela.