By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:King Mswati sent Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini to represent him in the inauguration event of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa despite wide-spread condemnation of the disputed August 2023 elections.

The elections results, were condemned and rejected by the Southern African Development Community(SADC) including the European Union(EU) amid allegations of vote rigging.

Responding to questions from this Swaziland News on Monday afternoon, when asked why the King sent the Prime Minister to the inauguration following the disputed elections, King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane said, it was the responsibility of Zimbabweans to decide who they want to be their President adding that, the King and his counterparts around the world cannot be referees on Zimbabwe’s political affairs.

“It is the responsibility of  Zimbabweans to vote for one of their own to the position of president. In the case at hand, Zimbabweans have spoken. If there are still election wrinkles to be ironed-out, we believe there are legal Zimbabwean structures to do that. We believe the King and his counterparts around the world would be contaminating Zimbabwean procedures by playing referees. As short as to tell, the King has honoured the invitation to attend the inauguration by proxy and not to adjudicate over any foul play complaints. The alleged election riging remains a Zimbabwean challenge that  requires Zimbabwean solutions”, said the King’s Spokesperson.

It has been reported that only three(3) Presidents within the SADC region physically attended the Zimbabwean President inauguration.

Angolan President João Lourenço, the SADC Chairperson and Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema who heads the Troka Organ, did not physically attend the inauguration held on Monday at the National Sports Stadium.

The Zambian President sent his Foreign Minister Stanley Kakubo to represent him but, former Zambian President Edgar Lungu was also among Mnangagwa’s invited guests.

Speaking to SAFM, a South African Broadcasting Corporation(SABC) radio station on Monday, Foreign editor Sophie Mokoena said, the decision by some SADC Heads of State to snub the inauguration, speaks volumes with the regards to the credibility of the Zimbabwean elections.

The editor said, even though some Heads of State sent representatives or delegations to the inauguration, but the seniority of the delegations also speaks volumes with regards to the position of that country towards the inauguration and therefore,questions would remain why only three(3)Heads of State attended.

“The seniority of the delegation sent to different activities also speaks to the position or the issues that host and also, perhaps countries where these delegations come from.Therefore,people will make some analyses why only the three(3) Heads of State”, said SABC Foreign editor.

Sivumelwano Nyembe, the Spokesperson of the MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF), a coalition of pro-democracy groups told this Swaziland News on Monday that, seemingly, SADC was failing to call-out member States that violate their own principles.

“It is unfortunate that African Supra State organisations like SADC and the AU are unable to call out States that violate their own principles.There is an urgent need of making regional and continental organisation answerable to the people. Elections need to truly express the will of the people.This elections that do not express the will of the people are a threat to democracy in Africa.Participating in the Zimbabwe inauguration, when a great number of Zimbabweans are finding the elections shameful, speaks volumes of country’s democratic values”, said the MSF Spokesperson.