PM RUSSELL’S FRIEND SPEAKS

MBABANE - His Majesty King Mswati III last week shocked many when he appointed Russell Dlamini as the Prime Minister (PM).

This happened last Friday at the People’s Parliament held at Ludzidzini Royal Residence. Based on revelations by his friend, who has known him for many years, it appears that the new PM could be seen in some quarters as the perfect choice for the premiership position. It must be said that Russell was the last person on the list of panellists who presented during the People’s Parliament – Sibaya.

After making his submission, he did not hog headlines. During the electronic poll conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), the premier was not popular among the people who rated the performance of panellists during the People’s Parliament. It is no wonder that over 20 members of the public interviewed by Eswatini News failed to predict that he was the new man to ascend to Hospital Hill to lead government business.

He succeeded Cleopas Dlamini. Randomly interviewed by Eswatini News, the members of the public believed that the King would appoint Cleopas.In an exclusive interview with Eswatini News, Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society Secretary Danger Nhlabatsi is the long time friend of the new PM. He is close to the then CEO of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).

Decades

Nhlabatsi has maintained his friendship with the premier for three decades.  “Our journey with the new PM Russell dates back to 1994 up to this day,” he said. He said they were students at the University of Eswatini (Luyengo Campus), studying Agriculture. He said he liked his profoundness in the Christian faith. Nhlabatsi mentioned that they were both members of the Student Christian Movement (SCM). He said the now premier participated in all the SCM’s activities, while he concentrated on the aspect of spiritual growth for members.

He said Russell was a man of his word, and he hasn’t changed. “I must say that as his friend, he is the right man for the job. He is a man of his word,” Nhlabatsi said. He described the new PM as a straightforward man who doesn’t play double standards. Nhlabatsi narrated that Russell is always determined to tell the truth. He is a truth teller.
The secretary of Baphalali mentioned that Russell has always portrayed leadership qualities.

He said he was personally not shocked when the King appointed him as prime minister. It should be noted that the new PM was at his church, Africa Faith Mission which is geographically located at Nhlambeni under the Manzini Region last Sunday, where he reassured the members that he would continue to be part of them in the next five years.

Nhlabatsi also disclosed that the PM showed leadership qualities inside and outside of the lecture hall. He said he had a spiritual gift of teaching, dividing the word appropriately and simple for Christians to grasp and impart others.
During SCM sessions, he said Russell was a Bible educator, a man of wisdom and full of the word.

Backbone

He described him as a man with a backbone as he is not easily swayed from the parametres of integrity. “Russell has no double standards and he is a man you can bet on when it comes to standing by what he believes in and stands for and adding to that, he is a principled man,” the Red Cross SG explained. Besides the PM being straightforward and a man of integrity, Nhlabatsi said he is a generous person who is always passionate about giving.

This, he said, was evidenced by what they used to do at the university as he and other students would initiate fundraising drives to assist students who had forfeited the scholarship facility because they had failed their semesters. He said they were able to raise money and pay tuition costs for those students. It is worth mentioning that Scholarship Fund beneficiaries who fail their courses are discontinued from receiving government financial assistance.

As a result of this humanitarian work, Nhlabatsi said many students at the Luyengo Campus looked up to him from 1994 to 1997 as he exemplified a Christ-like life, very compassionate and determined as always to live a holy life.
He said it was no wonder that he became a pastor as his life showed he would be a minister of the gospel.
Nhlabatsi maintained that Russell has not changed in character despite the fact that he joined big organisations with lots of challenges. He worked for World Vision and NDMA.

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