GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON CHALLENGES SWALIMO PRESIDENT ON DOUBLE STANDARDS DURING LIVE DEBATE
Alpheous Nxumalo, Eswatini’s Government Spokesperson, confronted Mduduzi Magawugawu Simelane, President of the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO), during a live panel discussion on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) last week. The debate became heated when Nxumalo questioned why it is deemed unacceptable for King Mswati III to appoint his relatives to government positions but permissible for Simelane to influence voters to elect his wife to Parliament.
Simelane had criticized the Tinkhundla election system, accusing the King of appointing his relatives, including brothers and sisters, to Cabinet positions. He argued that the ongoing elections were meaningless since the government would ultimately be shaped by royal appointments rather than democratic processes.
“It’s not true that the King appoints his brothers and sisters into Cabinet; there are only two close relatives of the King in Cabinet. So, it’s right when Simelane pushes for his wife to be in Parliament, and it becomes wrong when someone else does it?” Nxumalo countered.
The exchange followed Simelane’s assertion that all ten Prime Ministers under King Mswati had been personally appointed by the monarch, leading to a government controlled by royal interests. “About ten Prime Ministers were appointed by the King, and they went on to form a government,” Simelane stated. Nxumalo, however, dismissed the accusations, framing Simelane’s remarks as an attempt to create a false narrative about Eswatini’s governance.
The Government Spokesperson also issued a warning to Simelane, cautioning against rhetoric that could endanger emaSwati in pursuit of political power. “Do not place the lives of emaSwati in danger in your desire for a powerful political position,” Nxumalo said.
Simelane has been campaigning for his wife, Nomalungelo Simelane, known as LaZwide, to secure another term in Parliament. He has argued that her presence would amplify calls for democratic reforms and contribute to efforts for regime change from within Parliament.
Mlungisi Makhanya, President of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), also participated in the panel discussion. The debate highlighted the stark divisions in Eswatini’s political landscape, where opposition leaders challenge the monarchy’s hold on power while the government defends its centralized governance structure.
The clash underscores the contentious nature of Eswatini’s political system, where the monarchy maintains significant control over governance while opposition leaders push for a democratic overhaul. For many citizens, the debate reflects the broader struggle for representation and reform in a system that continues to face criticism for its exclusion of political parties and concentration of power within the royal family.
