By Zweli Martin Dlamini

LOBAMBA: Lusendvo Fakudze, the Ludzidzini Palace Governor said no official report has been submitted to him suggesting that King’s Chief Protocol Officer Khandlela Mdluli and Praise-singer Qethuka Dlamini tested positive to COVID-19 as confirmed cases rise in the midst of the on-going Incwala ritual ceremony.

Speaking to this Swaziland News on Sunday, the Governor said Khandlela was present during the Incwala ceremony yesterday(Saturday) and maintained that he was not aware that he subsequently tested positive to COVID-19.

“Nothing has been reported to me that  Khandlela tested positive, we were with him yesterday during Incwala(kute lengikuvile kutsi sewunemkhuhlane)” said the Governor when dismissing information by royal insiders suggesting that the two officials who work closely with the King were among the regiments who tested positive to COVID-19 yesterday.

Efforts to reach King\'s Chief Protocol Officer Khandlela Mdluli and Praise Singer Qethuka Dlamini proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

But on Saturday, Health Minister Lizzie Nkosi confirmed 103 new cases of COVID-19 raising fears that the tiny Kingdom was already hit by the second wave of the virus.

The Times of eSwatini reported that some members of the regiments and security officers who attended the Incwala ritual ceremony tested positive to COVID-19 and were subsequently transported to Mavuso Trade Centre for isolation and health monitoring.

Mlungisi Makhanya, the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) told this publication that it was risky for the King  to host Incwala ritual ceremony in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, he said the ceremony must be stopped in honor of Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini who allegedly died after testing positive to COVID-19.

“We would like to appeal to royalty that the best way to honour the Prime Minister is to stop all mass gatherings such as the Incwala ceremony. Evidence from all over the world has shown that such gatherings contribute to a major spike in COVID 19 infections. It is worrying that the nation has been told to attend the Incwala ceremony in numbers yet the rest of the world is preaching against mass gatherings”, he said.