ESWATINI MONARCHY IN DANGER

It is very interesting how our independence day is a low key event in Eswatini yet in almost all African countries and the world, it is celebrated with such funfair, jubilance and excitement. It was not always like this. Back in the day,the King Sobhuza II born generation will remember great celebrations at Somhlolo Stadium, with motorbikes flying through rings of fire, parades, drill matches, entertainment galo, music, with football matches between Cabinet and Parliament, which was a must see. We would actually get new umswenko like Christmas just to attend. The King would give his much anticipated speech and the crowds would burst into jubilation. There was a feeling of freedom from our colonial masters. I feel a great loss of this part of history, particularly for my children, who have grown up with the King’s Birthday being bigger than Independence Day.

May I disclose that I am a true patriot, son of the late Dr Sishayi Nxumalo, grandson of Umnguni Mqcobeya Ndwandwe (personal advisor to King Sobhuza II) in the direct line of  Madzanga I, brother to Indlovukazi Tsandzile Ndwandwe mother to King Mswati II also a daughter of King Zwide of the Ndwandwe Kingdom Egudu. Ngingu ‘Gabanca’ ngabutseka Ebulandzeni - inyatsi libutfo under Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe. Whatever I write is with full respect to Their Majesties and the elders of the country. The position of kingship is a political position by its nature and an absolute monarch in the days of prodemocracy is in serious danger of extinction if he is not able to balance forces of democracy within politics. The safest way to remain intact is to ascend above the political mud-slinging.

What is politics?

Politics is the set of activities that one associates with making decisions in groups or other forms of power relations between individuals, such as distribution of resources or status to influence policy. In the old days when kings ruled as absolute monarchs, the issue of distribution of resources and status was in the hands of the King, no questions asked. There was no democracy and the King only had to consult his advisors to come up with a decision on resources which no courts could challenge. The age of political revolutions came and most monarchies were swept away by the wave of democratic change and republics, which dealt very badly with most royal families, notably the Russian royalty, which was executed in its entirety. Most European kings fought a bitter war with their Parliaments representing the people which all kings eventually lost but some were able to realise the trends in time to move above politics while people still loved them and felt the need for national identity, culture, traditions and unity.

Our royalty institution in danger

Our royalty is in serious danger if it remains in the centre of politics. We had a strong Prime Minister Dr Barnabus (Lightning rod) Dlamini, who took the blows for the King very well. The people always need a political punching bag to blame for all their troubles, however, emaSwati are now more aware than ever of where the power really resides. The monarchy is not politically equipped to handle the political dirty games. They are calling the King by name on social media; all respect is gone. The direct election of the prime minister (PM) through our Tinkhundla and parliamentary system would give the new PM real powers and would not be seen as a puppet of the King. As he independently forms his government, the pressure would move to him to deliver and allow His Majesty the King to move out of the spotlight and remain only with duties of head of State but not government. This will be the only saving grace for our monarchy.

Multiparty politics

Multiparty politics is not the answer to elect the PM in my opinion at this present time for basically two reasons. 1) Multiparty politics is very divisive by nature, even in a small country like Eswatini the divisions can run deep blocking service delivery to minority party strongholds and splitting families and communities along political party lines. As Africans we need unity to fight the powerful western forces that are pushing the new world order agenda. They are at play through social media and mainstream media with huge budgets to topple any government and replace it with their puppets in the name of freedom.

2) The multiparty democracy system comes with its own culture and ways of doing things which are different from the African Ubuntu. The president of the EFF (whom I respect greatly for his Pan-Africanist views) was asked why he did not respect his elders in Parliament and his reply was ‘this is politics’. In Africa you don’t just shout at your opponents in Parliament and it ends there but it can get really personal and people die outside Parliament. Governments are the sources of real wealth in Africa and people will kill for power.

I must concede that Eswatini might not have the luxury of time and the push for multiparty democracy is very strong and can only take a united emaSwati to stop it; which we are not as others hate the King, and their political awareness and judgement is clouded. Africans just want anything that comes from the west without really analysing it. We are also very quick to criticise anything African hence we will remain in chains. The pressure from the west makes it all the more important that His Majesty and the elders of the nation fast-track the evolution of the Tinkhundla system and allow it to really take political power through the parliamentary election of the next PM. King Sobhuza II said the Tinkhundla system was to evolve to what emaSwati want, taking what is good and leaving what is bad. His Majesty King Mswati III also said, during a SADC interview, the people will say how they wish to be governed. Comments gabrielnxumalo868@gmail.com

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