Barney is pm
– It is history in the making.
His Majesty King Mswati III yesterday made history by becoming the first Head of State since Independence to reappoint someone whose term of office elapsed five years ago.
The king has re-engaged Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini as the country’s new Prime Minister with immediate effect.
Sibusiso, who was relieved of his duties as premier towards the end of 2003, succeeds his predecessor, Themba Absalom Dlamini, widely referred to as A.T. However, Sibusiso was appointed in absentia as he failed to heed the Sibaya summons. His Majesty, addressing a rapturous crowd of over 30 000 people who filled the Cattle Byre here to the brim, repeatedly stressed that the current times deserved a strong character to be at the helm of the government. "Niyamati lelengitaninika yena uke wasebenta waphindze wabuya nganeno. Eh, ngu Sibusiso Dlamini," pronounced the 40-year-old monarch much to the deafening screams from the ebullient crowd.
The king urged the entire nation to rally behind the new PM and to duly accord him the much-deserved support throughout his tenure of office (eh, udzinga kusekelwa kakhulu kuze ato phumelela).
His Majesty, evidently in a livid mood, said he expected the new premier to deal with the perpetrators of terrorism in the kingdom. Yesterday’s Sibaya was attended by, among others, Her Majesty Indlovukazi, princes and princesses, including the newly appointed Members of Parliament.
Erstwhile prime minister Themba Dlamini, including some of his former Cabinet ministers, were part of the strong crowd.
...but Dlamini no-show at Sibaya
LUDZIDZINI – Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, the newly-appointed Prime Minister, was no show at the Royal Cattle Byre here.
His Majesty King Mswati III, after having pronounced Dlamini as the man to be at the helm of the government, patiently waited for his new man for about three minutes but to no avail.
The king’s aide, Khandlela Mdluli and Police Commissioner Edgar Hillary quickly reported that efforts to locate Dlamini within and outside the byre hit a snag.
It was reported that the newly-appointed PM spent the rest of the day while relaxing with his family at home. This newspaper’s team paid him a visit at his home at Ekukhanyeni (Ka-Ntunja) but was told he was taking a deserved rest until this morning.