Times Of Swaziland: OBED FINALLY RESTS IN PEACE

OBED FINALLY RESTS IN PEACE
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BY SUNDAY REPORTER on 29/01/2017 09:39:00


MBABANE – The body of the late Obed Mfanyana Dlamini, Swaziland’s most
popular former Prime Minister, was taken to Nceka last night.
This was the climax of the sad three-day State funeral.
Obed is a former bank employee and Secretary General of the Swaziland Federation
of Trade Unions (SFTU).
Born on April 4, 1937 in Mhlosheni, he was Prime Minister of Swaziland from July
12, 1989 to October 25, 1993.
When he died, he was a member of Liqoqo, the King’s advisory council and is
one of  two members in the council to have an affiliation to a political party.
He was a member of the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress.
He was also a former member of Parliament where he represented the Nhlambeni
Constituency in the Manzini region.
By Wednesday, government had finalised arrangements with the Dlamini family for
the State funeral of the former prime minister.
With the cooperation of the family, his remains were brought back to Swaziland
from South Africa, where he died, and kept at Dups Funeral Home.
The State funeral began on Friday at 11am, with security officers escorting the
casket from Dups to the Evangelical Church in Matsapha where the memorial
service was held.
Security services officers then escorted the casket from the memorial service to
his farm in Sidvokodvo. Last night, security officers were also expected to
escort the casket from Sidvokodvo to his home in Nceka.
This morning, security personnel were expected to escort the casket to the
graveyard where he wwas to be laid to rest.
A Condolence Register has been opened at the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office.
People began signing it as from 2:30pm on Wednesday; from 8:30am to 4:30pm on
Thursday and from 8:30am to11am am on Friday.
The register was handed over to the family at the memorial service.
His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, His Majesty’s Government
and the Swazi nation conveyed their condolonces to the Dlamini family, relatives
and friends for the loss.
Many Swazis are saddened by the death of the likeable politician, who was known
as a highly principled straight-talker.