Swazi Media Commentary: Fakudze Lusendvo

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Thursday, 7 May 2020

Swaziland King reappears in public after months to make coronavirus address

King Mswati III, the absolute monarch of Swaziland (eSwatini), made his first public appearance on Thursday (7 May 2020) since the start of the coronavirus crisis with a television address from the Ludzidzini Royal Residence.

King Mswati III makes his first public appearance since the coronavirus crisis began. Picture: Govt. of eSwatini

In late March a key ally of the King, Lusendvo Fakudze, the Ludzidzini Palace Governor, confirmed to the Swaziland News, an online newspaper, that the King was in social isolation because of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The News reported at the time that Fakudze said, ‘Currently, no visitors are allowed to see the King, our only focus now is to educate the public about this epidemic as per the command of the King.’

He gave no further details about the King’s health which led to speculation about his condition.

In April, the Swazi Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini made reference to reports on social media and in international media that King Mswati was ‘critically ill’. He said, ‘His Majesty is well and healthy. Those misleading the nation about his health will be dealt with in line with the law.’

This was a indirect reference to Zweli Martin Dlamini, the editor of the Swaziland News, an online newspaper, who had been vigorously reporting the King’s absence. The eSwatini Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by the King, reported that police were searching for him.

Police raided Dlamini’s home but he was not there. Police reportedly harassed his wife and two small children. The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN), a pro-democracy group banned in Swaziland, reported, ‘Dlamini was first subjected to police torture two months ago and told to stop reporting about the king and the royal family. The editor has now been declared a wanted person by the police.’

In his address to the kingdom, King Mswati made a passing reference to his absence from public life but gave no details as to whether he had been ill.

He called on all people to respect the seriousness of coronavirus and follow his government’s health guidelines to always wash their hands with soap and water, use hand sanitisers, keep social distance, avoid shaking of hands and stay at home if there was no pressing need to be outside.

But, answering questions from reporters after the address he supported the use of herbal drinks in the fight against the virus.

The Independent News, eSwatini, reported, the King said, ‘COVID-19 is a novel disease, anything, could it be natural (herbs), can be used to treat the disease.’ It added, ‘He encouraged researchers in the country to put their minds together in a move to come with a natural or herbal remedy for COVID-19.’

Monday, 16 April 2018

CONFUSED STATUS OF SWAZI WIDOWS

The Swaziland King has ordered widows to immediately remove their mourning gowns so that they can take part in his 50^th birthday celebrations.

But at the same time it has been confirmed that widows cannot contest the forthcoming national election.

In Swaziland tradition has it that a widow must wear a mourning gown for two years after the death of her husband and then go through a cleansing ceremony.

Now, acting Ludzidzini governor Lusendvo Fakudze, who is known as the voice of the King, has ordered all widows to remove their mourning gowns with immediate effect. The King, who rules Swaziland as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, celebrates his 50^th birthday on Thursday (19 April 2018.) So-called 50/50 Celebrations are planned on that day to mark his birthday and also the 50^th anniversary of Swaziland’s Independence from Great Britain that falls on 6 September 2018.

The Ludzidzini governor is also know as the traditional prime minister and has more status in the kingdom than Barnabas Dlamini the man King Mswati appointed Prime Minister to lead the cabinet the King also hand-picked.

The Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by the King, reported on Wednesday (11 April 2018) the order came from the King and was communicated by Fakudze through state radio.

It reported him saying, ‘Women are expected to down their mourning gowns with immediate effect. This is done in preparation for the 50/50 celebrations.’

He also said that women who lost their husbands before the 50/50 celebrations were not expected to wear mourning gowns even after the celebrations.

The order contradicts a separate directive given by Fakudze that widows would not be allowed to stand in the national election that is due at a date later in 2018 yet to be set by the King. Fakudze told the Swazi Observer (12 April 2018) they would not be allowed to contest the election until they had been in mourning for two years and gone through a cleansing ceremony.

The newspaper reported, ‘Elections and Boundaries Commission Chairperson Chief Gija Dlamini also confirmed that women who lost their husbands could register for elections only after the two-year mourning period and cleansing ceremony.’

Coordinating Assembly for Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO) Communications Officer Nkosing’phile Myeni said the directive was unconstitutional. Section 28 of the Swaziland Constitution stated, ‘Women have the right to equal treatment with men and that right shall include equal opportunities in political, economic and social activities.’

The Swazi Observer reported on Friday (13 April 2018) he also said Section 28 (3) made provisions for women not to be compelled to observe cultural norms that they did not agree with. The section states, ‘A woman shall not be compelled to undergo or uphold any custom to which she is in conscience opposed.’

Saturday, 14 April 2018

WIDOWS STILL CAN’T STAND IN ELECTION

Widows in mourning in Swaziland will not be allowed to contest this year’s national election, the kingdom’s top traditionalist has ruled.

He contradicts a message sent by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) last year.

Lusendvo Fakudze, the acting Ludzidzini Governor, is considered to be the voice of King Mswati III on traditional matters. The Ludzidzini Governor is sometimes called ‘the traditional prime minister’ and has more authority than Barnabas Dlamini, the man the King appointed Prime Minister in the House of Assembly.

King Mswati rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch. Political parties are banned from taking part in the election and the King chooses the Prime Minister and top government ministers.

Fakudze told the Swazi Observer (12 April 2018), a newspaper in effect owned by the King, that widows would not be allowed to contest the election until they had been in mourning for two years and gone through a cleansing ceremony.

The newspaper reported, ‘EBC Chairperson Chief Gija Dlamini also confirmed that women who lost their husbands could register for elections only after the two-year mourning period and cleansing ceremony.’

The announcement contradicts what the EBC said in April 2017. EBC commissioner Ncumbi Maziya told a voter education meeting at Bulandzeni Chiefdom that women in mourning had a constitutional right to stand for election, but he added that there might be problems for a widow if she were elected.

The Swazi Observer reported at the time, ‘He said a person wearing a mourning gown was not allowed to be near His Majesty the King. If a certain constituency elected a person in such a situation, it was highly possible that the woman could not attend the Parliament opening event, where the King would also be in attendance. Maziya said that was when a woman would have to exercise conscience by at least standing by the gate of Parliament, to avoid being near the King.’

There was a major row at the election in 2013 when Dumisani Dlamini a chief’s headman in Ludzibini, an area ruled by Chief Magudvulela a former Swazi Senator, threatened people would be banished from their homes if they nominated Jennifer du Pont, a widow, for the upcoming election.

The Times Sunday reported at the time, ‘[Dlamini] warned that those who would nominate her should be prepared to relocate to areas as distant as five chiefdoms away. Her sin was that she attended the nominations only a few months after her husband died.’

The newspaper reported, ‘He said she should still be mourning her husband.’

The Times reported Du Pont did not wear standard black mourning gowns and was dressed in a blue wrap-around dress known as sidvwashi.

Enough people in the chiefdom defied Dlamini and du Pont was duly nominated.

Elsewhere, during the primary elections nomination held in August 2013, an 18-year-old woman was denied the chance to be nominated to stand for parliament because she attended the nomination centre dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

In another case a woman was not allowed to nominate a candidate because she was wearing cargo pants.

In February 2018 it was reported Swaziland’s Senate President Gelane Zwane had been ‘banned’ from attending parliament for up to two years because she is a widow in mourning. Minister of Labour and Social Security Winnie Magagula met a similar fate.

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