‘PARTIES WILL NEVER SUCCEED’

LOBAMBA- “Political parties will never rule the Kingdom of Eswatini. They will try, but will never succeed.”

This was said by Prince Masitsela during the Somhlolo National Festival of Praise, which is a celebration of the birthday of King Sobhuza II, yesterday. King Sobhuza II was the first Eswatini King to rule after the country gained independence from Britain in 1968. The prince stated that when the King sent emissaries to request for independence from Britain, he (the King) was told that the country would be given to someone who would be elected by the people. He said the British observed that emaSwati wanted to be ruled by the King as they were a cultured nation.

Political

“Britain assisted the nation in the formation of political parties in order to ascertain if emaSwati wanted to be ruled by the King. They passed a law before the first national elections in 1964. The law provided that if a man had more than one wife, only one was allowed to vote. I recall very well that I had three wives at the time. Only LaMalaza voted. Only LaMatsebula (King’s Inkhosikati) voted at the royal residence,” said the prince. He asked if denying people their right to vote was democracy. The prince stated that the process was unfair. He stated that emaSwati made it clear that they wanted to be ruled by the King because kings were created and blessed by God.

The prince mentioned that the King respected the nation so much that he sought its advice on how they wanted to be ruled. “The King sent a committee to get public views on how they wanted to be ruled. I was leading the committee and we engaged all emaSwati in all tinkhundla centres. EmaSwati made it clear that they wanted the Tinkhundla System of Governance whereby each constituency would have someone to represent them in Parliament,” he said. The prince stated that emaSwati were determined that the multiparty system of governance would divide the nation and destroy the country if it was allowed.

He made an example about a member of a political party who was elected into Parliament. Without mentioning a name, the prince said voters realised that the MP represented interests of his party instead of the people who elected him into Parliament. “The constituents openly told the MP that they would not re-elect him because he represented the interests of his party instead of representing the people who elected him into Parliament,” the prince said. The prince made it clear that he was sent to represent His Majesty King Mswati III at the event which was coupled with Somhlolo Festival of Praise. “I have been requested by His Majesty King Mswati III to represent him at this event; however, he did not assign me to say anything on his behalf. I am here to listen on his behalf,” the senior prince said.

Prayers

On another note, Prince Masitsela has shared how God answered his prayers in four hours when the country was affected by a drought. He said he recalled that King Sobhuza II blessed the National Church as a place where all emaSwati could communicate with God when faced with challenges. “My cattle were affected by drought at the lowveld. I came to this church and prayed alone. Four hours later, I was told that there was rain and that it went straight to my place,” he said. The congregants praised God when they heard the testimony. COVID-19 was part of the prayer item at the event where congregants prayed for the affected people and protection of the nation against the disease.

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