There is intense speculation in the newspapers in
Swaziland that Barnabas Dlamini is to be reappointed Prime Minister by King
Mswati III.
In Swaziland, the people are not allowed to choose who
heads the government: that is the prerogative of King Mswati, who rules as
sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch. Once the PM is in place, the king
will then choose the rest of the government.
Political parties were not allowed to compete at the
national election held on 20 September 2013. The Swazi people could only select
candidates as individuals. In Swaziland the people only select 55 of the 65
members of the House of Assembly: King Mwsati appoints the other 10.
Last week he appointed Barnabas Dlamini to the House of
Assembly, fuelling speculation in the newspapers that he would also be
reappointed as Prime Minister in the coming days.
There are only two newspaper groups in Swaziland and both
have accepted the appointment as inevitable, but with some reservations.
Alec Lushaba, editor of the Weekend
Observer, a paper in effect owned by the king,
wrote, ‘So the question is whether the country needs Dlamini as
prime minister or not. The answer to that question is that we probably do not
have a choice, even if we didn’t but he still meets all the qualities the
appointing authority [King Mswati] expects from someone holding such an
office.’
He added, ‘His [Dlamini] heavy handedness approach to
dealing with dissent only helps to portray the country and the King as being
averse to political change or dialogue, yet not finding a lasting political
solution to the groups he has proscribed remains a scar to the country’s
international standing.’
Phephisa
Khoza, editor of the independent Swazi
News, speculating on likely candidates
for PM, wrote, ‘Truth be told as painful as it may be is that only one of them
stands head and shoulders above all. And that is the former [outgoing] Prime
Minister Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini.’
Khoza added, ‘I have always said the PM is like a master
chess player, which makes him very dangerous. His moves are always calculated
and I must say there is no better candidate I see replacing him anytime soon.
This is to say YES I agree with those who say he is the right man for the job.
I know teachers and the majority of civil servants will disagree with me.’
History suggests that King Mswati will reappoint Dlamini
as PM. In October 2012 the king refused
to accept a vote of no confidence passed by the House of Assembly on
Dlamini and the government, even though he was obliged by the constitution to
do so.
See also
KING APPOINTS HIS FAMILY TO PARLIAMENT
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