Criticizing King Mswati and his government will continue even next year despite Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo’s public commitment to deal with anyone who will write negatively about the institution of the Monarchy and the country.
Perhaps,let me bring to the attention of the Government Spokesperson that,King Mswati as a Head of State sitting on the Throne is holding absolute power and power is and/or should be subject to the principles of transparency,accountability and/or public administration.
Well, Alpheous Nxumalo as a Public Relations Officer(PRO) for the Eswatini Government which is one of the highest positions in the administration of the country is obligated to defend the country,I’m not sure if his contract of employment includes even the King considering the fact that,King Mswati employed Percy Simelane as his own Spokesperson.
But the laws of defamation excludes government and this,means the media is free to unlimitedly criticize the State and Alpheous Nxumalo must know that he is defending an institution that cannot be defamed particularly on issues of vital public interest.
Even Mswati as a Head of State whose lifestyle is funded with taxpayers money has limited rights to privacy, his life is subject to public scrutiny.
As the media,we therefore hope Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo will defend the country and of course, the King without interfering with the fundamental duties of the media and once he cross that line, he might experience challenges in executing his duties.
In as much as Nxumalo is obligated to defend government,as editors we have an obligation to defend the independence of the media being an institution whose role, amongst others,is to be the voice of the voiceless.
Like Percy Simelane,the King’s Spokesperson, Alpheous Nxumalo will enjoy a healthy relationship with the media if he responds on issues of public interest without involving emotions.
A government will always be criticized to keep it on toes but of course, the criticism must be based on factual issues, Alpheous Nxumalo must assist us in this regard, to disseminate accurate information to the public by ensuring that government is transparent and accountable.
Alpheous Nxumalo is the former Managing Director of the Eswatini Observer and some journalists that I interact with still refer to Nxumalo as their MD whenever a topic about the Government Spokesperson arise and despite the controversies that subsequently erupted,this means he worked well with journalists of that newspaper and understands the role of the media.
PROs and journalists are colleagues what is important is the balance of interest, Government Spokesperson must defend the State and equally allow journalists to defend the powerless citizens.
In conclusion, it is important therefore,to warn the Government Spokesperson that, in the process of defending the Government and the King, as he suggested, he must not dare interfere with the independence of the media and the citizens’ right to information.
Once he does that, his dream to have his contract of employment renewed next year might be washed away by the ineffectiveness that could be created by the the inability to defend the government.
King Mswati(Inte pic).