Times Of Swaziland: MERCENARIES INVADE ESWATINI - PRINCESS SIKHANYISO

MERCENARIES INVADE ESWATINI - PRINCESS SIKHANYISO
================================================================================
Mfanukhona Nkambule on 04/07/2021 17:31:00


MBABANE – Princess Sikhanyiso, the Minister of ICT, has alleged that
mercenaries have invaded the country.
She told BBC Focus on Africa that the mercenaries were in army uniform and
masquerading as the country’s soldiers and police. A mercenary is a soldier
hired into foreign service, and sometimes known as a soldier of fortune. The
mercenary takes part in military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an
outsider to the conflict and is not a member of any other official military.
They actually fight for money or other forms of payment rather than for
political interests. The minister said the mercenaries had been hired by people
with an agenda to cause anarchy.
Strategic
On the ground, she pointed out that there were arsonists, looters and abused
people who were allegedly forced to join in the destruction of strategic
buildings of economic interest. She said they also mounted roadblocks where they
masqueraded as the security forces. At worse, she said they were shooting
innocent citizens. Princess Sikhanyiso said they took videos of themselves
shooting. She said they sent the video clips to social media to upset the public
that the Eswatini security forces were abusing and killing citizens. The
minister of Information, Communication and Technology said the order to shoot to
kill did not come from His Majesty the King. Asked by the BBC journalist if the
King was ready for a dialogue on democracy rather than absolute monarchy, she
said she was not sure if the people who caused anarchy were prepared to
negotiate with them. The minister’s audio clip was widely circulated on social
media where she was criticised for allegedly peddling falsehood by beguiling the
global community.
sensationalism
She said she portrayed the truth and factual version of what was happening on
the ground against what she described as sensationalism. Princess Sikhanyiso
said there were anarchists who hijacked the delivery of petitions by the youth
at the various tinkhundla centres who had genuine needs for employment, service
delivery and quality of life. While the youth was genuinely delivering the
petitions to their MPs, she said there was a certain group that appeared at
every petition delivery to create anarchy.
The eldest daughter of His Majesty said this particular group threatened MPs
that they would return to the constituencies and become aggressive and violent
towards them if the demands were not addressed or “come to pass.” She
claimed the threatening  COVID-19 third wave caused government, particularly the
acting prime minister, to think about the safety of the youth by suggesting for
a virtual delivery of the petition. She said the acting premier also invited the
three MPs to a roundtable for a dialogue, of which, they decided to withdraw;
not willing to negotiate because of issues of distrust with government. “The
King is open to the views of the people, and he had said it in his speeches,”
said Princess Sikhanyiso.