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SILENCE THE GUNS, END CONFLICT- KING

12/02/2023 08:56:00 Mhlonishwa Motsa

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LOZITHA – His Majesty King Mswati III has called on the nation to silence the guns and end conflict.

Speaking during the 2023 National Prayer Service held at Mandvulo Grand Hall yesterday, the King reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the African Union’s call for cease fire by 2030 in the continent. The national prayer service is usually His Majesty’s first public address after the cultural event, Incwala Ceremony. His Majesty was reacting to a speech by his special guest during the service, former President of the Republic of South Africa Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma. Zuma had indicated his worry over the current political instability and his desire for the impasse to be resolved swiftly.

Zuma was in the country to attend the service and he was accompanied by his wife. This was the second service for Zuma and he attended the first one alone. The King gave assurance to former President Zuma that the country was also touched by the current wave of violence and killings through guns. He recalled that President Zuma was part of the African Union High-Level Retreat on the Promotion of Peace, Security and Stability in Africa, where a commitment was made by all countries to silence guns by 2030.

The King said during the launch of the campaign, no one could have thought that Eswatini would face the same issues. “We are committed to the campaign as a nation and want to assure the former president that we are worried too. I remember when we were together at the Africa Union to launch the silence of guns by 2030 in Africa. No one could have thought we would face such in Eswatini, where people would hunger and be blood thirsty, seeking who they can kill,” said the King.

The High-Level Retreat His Majesty referred to was convened in Durban, South Africa on April 28 - 29, 2014 on the theme ‘Silencing guns in Africa: Building a road map to a conflict-free continent’. The retreat developed and concretised a road map towards realising an Africa without war.

Silence guns

The campaign to silence guns by 2030 aims at fighting the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons. It also seeks to promote reconciliation and social cohesion given the link between armed conflicts and social, political and economic grievances. His Majesty sent condolences to families that lost loved ones through the barrel of a gun and during the political unrest period. The King spoke deeply about the pain of the loss of a loved one felt by the families and said there was nothing that could take away such grief.

His Majesty then declared a prayer of healing for the families and said only God can heal their hearts. He prayed for the spirit of God not only to heal them but to also bless them with peace and love. “We pray that those who lost their lives be our guardian angels and intercede to God for us, informing Him that we are still committed to the silencing of guns in Africa. We will do all in our power to ensure that the guns are silenced, as this concerns even those who are coming from other countries,” said His Majesty.

Life of another person

The King said no one had a right to take a life of another person. He said God was the only creator of man who had every right to life as he gives or take it but not another human being. “We hope that even those who train and equip the killers with guns are hearing what we are saying today because nothing justifies the killing of any soul. It is God who can decide on our lives and no one has the power to kill another,” he said. His Majesty started his sermon by quoting Psalms 42 and said 2023 was a year where the nation needed to hold on to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. He said answers to all issues faced by the nation were found in Jesus as compared to other people.