KING SHOWERS WARRIORS WITH E33M, 377 CATTLE

MBABANE – Thousands of libutfo (regiments) celebrated with great joy yesterday as His Majesty the King generously gifted them E33 million.

The surprises did not stop there; the King also provided bread and fresh meat for them to take home and share with their families, having arranged for the slaughter of 377 cattle to create food parcels for the libutfo. The day’s festivities were particularly remarkable as the King arrived early, even before the crowds had fully gathered at the royal residence for the occasion. He entered the arena around noon and immediately joined the thousands of Emabutfo in vibrant song and dance, creating an electric atmosphere.

This joyful celebration marked the dispersal of the libutfo, symbolising the conclusion of this year’s Incwala Ceremony. The Incwala Ceremony is Eswatini’s most sacred cultural events, often referred to as the ‘First Fruits Ceremony’. It is deeply rooted in eswatini traditions and signifies the renewal of the nation’s unity, strength, and vitality under the King’s leadership.
The dispersal took place at the Ngabezweni Royal Residence, which buzzed with activity from early morning. Many attendees almost missed the King’s participation, as His Majesty arrived earlier than expected. By noon, he was already leading the libutfo in song and dance, adding a special highlight to the day’s proceedings.

In his address, the King urged the nation to work hard and prioritise job creation, emphasising the importance of employment for every adult to improve their families’ lives. He also highlighted the blessing of abundant rains this year, encouraging the nation to leverage this opportunity to grow more food. “For the country to progress economically, we must focus on food security to ensure that everyone has enough to eat,” the King stated. He explained that addressing food security challenges would pave the way for broader economic self-sufficiency.
The King expressed gratitude to the regiments for their unwavering support of the event from start to finish.

He encouraged them to continue observing cultural practices such as Incwala, which he described as a unifying tradition that defines emaSwati identity. “This culture is vital to the nation, and it must be preserved and passed on to future generations,” he emphasised. The regiments in attendance included uniformed members of the three armed forces and personnel from the Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services (ENFES). Other groups, such as Inyatsi yaMswati and Bokhololo (religious leaders), were also present. Meanwhile, Lutsango and Imbali—women’s and girls’ regiments—were at the royal residence but did not participate in the singing and dancing in the arena.

Enclosure

Upon their arrival, the libutfo began forming a circular enclosure, singing traditional songs with great enthusiasm. This traditional dance is known as Kuhlehla. After a few minutes, they rearranged themselves into a C-shaped formation facing the cattle byre, signalling their readiness for the King’s arrival. When His Majesty arrived, accompanied by a large entourage of regiments, the arena erupted with sounds of whistles and vibrant traditional songs. The singing paused briefly when the King addressed the regiments. The King began by inspecting the different regiments, which were grouped along the boundary of the C-shaped yard. Moving in front of each group with a smile and a wave, the King was greeted with loud shouts of ‘Bayethe!! Wena Waphakathi!!’ from the libutfo.

The inspection concluded around 12:20pm, followed by the Umgubho dance, a traditional performance lasting over an hour. During this dance, the regiments sang slowly, displaying their enjoyment and deep knowledge of the songs, even though the lyrics were difficult to comprehend. Female regiments participated by standing near the cattle byre.

Agility

Later, the regiments performed traditional dances while squatting, showcasing their agility and coordination. Once the performances concluded, the King walked to the podium near the cattle byre to deliver his closing remarks. In the end, the libutfo were pleasantly surprised when the King presented them with bags full of gifts and a calendar to take home. It could not be immediately determined how much each regiment received as their monetary gift.

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