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Thursday, 15 October 2020

Swaziland King appoints another eight of his family to influential posts as nepotism rages

King Mswati III, the absolute monarch of Swaziland (eSwatini), has appointed another eight members of his family to influential groups in the latest round of nepotistic appointments.

They are among 19 people appointed to serve.

Attorney General Sifiso Mafelenkhosini M. Khumalo, himself appointed by the King, announced the changes on Wednesday (14 October 2020).

The eSwatini Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati, reported Prince Matatazela, Prince Masuku, Prince Sibhimbi Tandlatiyagezana and Prince Mandlenkhosi Rowland Dlamini had been appointed to the King’s Advisory Committee, also known as Liqoqo.

It added, ‘Prince Mandlenkhosi currently serves as a Board member of the eSwatini Observer and the eSwatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA).’

Prince Mguqiso has been appointed to chair the Land Management Board to replace the late Prince Phinda. The King also appointed four members to serve on the Civil Service Commission, including Prince Ngangabani and Princess Nkosingumenzi.

The King also appointed Princess Msindvose to the new Citizenship Board.

The Swaziland News, an online newspaper, reported the newly-appointed members of the various councils would collectively take more than E12 million annually as salaries. In Swaziland seven in ten of the 1.2 million population have incomes of less than E35 or US$2.

Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini, himself appointed by the King, had previously announced that hiring was frozen by government because of the present economic crisis in the kingdom.

The News added appointments to the Citizenship Board also included the King’s father-in law Chief Ngangaza and the Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala’s relative, Vusi Tfwala.

Earlier this week King Mswati appointed his first-born son Prince Sicalo to become principal secretary, the top civil servant, at the Ministry of Defence. Recently, Prince Lindani was appointed director of economic affairs at the King’s Office.

After the most recent national election in 2018, the King appointed eight members of his family to the Senate and six to the House of Assembly. He also appointed 17 members of his own family to the kingdom’s two most influential advisory committees; Liqoqo and the Ludzidzini Council, a group of senior traditionalists centred around the King’s Ludzidzini Palace.  

The King also appointed a further 11 princes and princesses to five other committees. 

See also

Swaziland absolute monarch appoints more family members to top positions as nepotism grows https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/10/swaziland-absolute-monarch-appoints.html

 

Swaziland’s king appoints 28 members of his family to kingdom’s committees and board

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2019/04/swazilands-absolute-monarch-appoints-28.html

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