CURIOSITY BUILDS UP OVER EMABANDLA APPOINTMENTS

MBABANE – There are high expectations that His Majesty King Mswati III will announce the appointment of members of different traditional advisory councils and commissions (emabandla).

The expectations are motivated by the fact that it was around this time five years ago that new appointments were announced. The councils include Liqoqo (the King’s Advisory Council), Ludzidzini Council, Border Restoration Committee and Board of Royal Trustees. The others are the Land Management Board and Regional Administrators (RAs). Already, there are debates in various quarters on individuals who are likely to be appointed. There are also feelings that a high percentage of the current members stand a chance of being re-appointed and that new ones will be added to fill up positions left vacant after members were assigned new duties.

commissions

It should be noted that some of the commissions have vacant posts following that members have been appointed to Parliament while others passed away. It was on April 11, 2019, five months after Cabinet had been appointed, that the announcement for members of emabandla was made. The announcement was made by Attorney General Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo at the Lozitha Royal Palace. Having been appointed in April 2019, and with the term of office for the members of the various councils expected to be five years, the expectation is that the end of their time could be announced within the next coming days. It must be said, however, that there is no specific law that stipulates a date on which the King must appoint or dissolve emabandla but it has been a tradition over the past years that a new Parliament worked with newly-appointed members of the traditional councils and committees (emabandla ekweluleka).
Already, a new Parliament has been in office for about five months following the general elections which were completed in September last year.

Following the elections and appointments of several individuals into different political positions, many had high expectations that the advisory councils and committees would follow suit before the Incwala. However, by December last year, the outgoing members were still in office. Some of the outgoing members include former Deputy Prime Minister Paul Dlamini who is the current Chairman of Liqoqo. According to the Constitution of Eswatini, 2005, Liqoqo is an advisory council whose members are appointed by Ingwenyama from the membership of bantfwabenkhosi (emaLangeni), tikhulu (chiefs) and persons who have distinguished themselves in the service of the nation. Section 231 of the Constitution provides that where necessary, the members of Liqoqo may be appointed by the Indlovukazi as Queen Regent. The section also mentioned that Liqoqo traditionally advises Ingwenyama on disputes in connection with the selection of tikhulu (chiefs) boundaries of chiefdoms and any other matter Ingwenyama may assign for their advice in confidence.

period

The section also states, ‘A member of liqoqo shall hold office for a period not exceeding five years and shall be eligible for re-appointment and shall vacate office where the member — dies; resigns; or is removed from office by Ingwenyama or Indlovukazi as Queen Regent’.When the former DPM was contacted to ascertain whether their term of office was coming to an end or not, he said such information rest with His Majesty The King. It was brought to the attention of the former DPM that the expectation was based on the circular that authorised their appointment as it stipulated that their term of office was five years. “It is difficult to respond due to the fact that such issues are dealt with by The King. I would not want to discuss it with the media,” he said. In vernacular he said, “Kulukhuni kakhulu ngoba loku kwaka-Bayethe”.

It should be noted that while the former DPM and others were appointed in April 2019, there were changes in 2020, as an announcement of a reshuffling and the appointment of new members in the different councils was made. In total, His Majesty King Mswati III appointed 19 members in 2020 to serve in the various councils and they included about four who joined Liqoqo. These were Prince Matatazela, Prince Masuku, Prince Sibhimbi Tandlatiyagezana and Prince Mandlenkhosi Rowland Dlamini. On the other hand, Bishop Sipho Tembe was appointed into the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), while Chief Dambuza Lukhele was appointed to serve in the Border Restoration Committee.

appointed

Prince Mguqiso was appointed to Chair the Land Management Board and he replaced the late Prince Phinda. The King also appointed four members to serve into the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and these were Prince Ngangabani, Princess Nkosingumenzi, Chief Velamuva Maseko and Ntombi Mngomezulu. They joined Chairperson Peter Mamba.  Also, His Majesty the King appointed a new Citizenship Board, headed by Fikile V. Dlamini. Other members are Princess Msindvose, Chief Ngangaza, Vusi Thwala, Muzi A. Dlamini, Lungile P. Nxumalo, Pastor Griffiths Dlamini and Makhosi Simelane, who at the time was an Ex-Officio member in his capacity as Chief Immigration Officer. Simelane is now the Under Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

Meanwhile, some members were redeployed as they were previously serving in other Boards, while others were totally new. Prince Mguqiso and Prince Ngangabani were both serving in the Liqoqo before they were redeployed, while Princess Nkosingumenzi and Chief Velamuva Maseko were serving in the EBC and BRC, respectively.

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