Times Of Swaziland: Barney is pm

Barney is pm
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SENZO DLAMINI LUDZIDZINI on 17/10/2008 00:00:00


– 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.