Lutfo Dlamini, Swaziland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has distanced himself from his senior civil servant who spoke outagainst Col Muammar Gadaffi of Libya, one of King Mswati’s close allies.
And, Clifford Mamba, Principal Secretary at the Ministry, who is at the centre of the storm, is keeping his head down and refusing to speak to the media.
Meanwhile, the Swazi Government is in no hurry to come to Mamba’s aid. Government mouthpiece Macanjana Motsa and her assistant Sabelo Dlamini told inquiring reporters to talk to Mamba.
Lutfo Dlamini ‘repeatedly’ refused to comment on Mamba’s position when contacted by the Times of Swaziland,the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper.’
According to the newspaper, Dlamini said ‘they were going to investigate the authenticity of the leaked document’, but told the newspaper it should speak only with Mamba.
But, Mamba repeatedly refused to answer his phone or respond to a text message, the Times reported.
The row hit Swaziland last Friday (31 December 2010) after I reported that Wikileaks had published a secret cable sent by Maurice Parker, the then US Ambassador to Swaziland. Parker reported that Mamba hadcriticised Gaddafi’s time as Chair of the African Union (AU). Mamba reportedly said Gaddafi had ‘put the AU secretariat into chaos, by-passing all protocol and the institutional framework’ during his time in charge. Gaddafi was Chair of the AU for one year until January 2010.
King Mswati has been an ally of Libya for some years and has been trying to get business and development aid for Swaziland. At least one of King Mswati’s sons, Prince Sicalo, is undergoing military training in Libya. Barnabas Dlamini, Swaziland’s illegally-appointed Prime Minister, visited the prince while he was in Libya in October 2010.
In 2009, Col Gadaffi sent the king six camels as a token of his friendship.
Swaziland’s top foreign affairs civil servant has criticised the leadership style of Col Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, the man King Mswati III wants to help save his kingdom’s ailing economy.
Clifford Mamba, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, suggested Gaddafi’s style was chaotic and autocratic.
Mamba’s comments are contained in a diplomatic cable, marked ‘secret’,written in April 2009 by Maurice Parker, the then US Ambassador to Swaziland, and published on the Wikileaks website.
Mamba is said to have criticised Gaddafi’s time as Chair of the African Union (AU). Mamba reportedly said Gaddafi had ‘put the AU secretariat into chaos, by-passing all protocol and the institutional framework’ during his time in charge. Gaddafi was Chair of the AU for one year until January 2010.
Mamba also criticised Gaddafi’s call for the creation of a ‘United States of Africa’. He said, ‘Moving one country in one direction is hard enough, much less moving 48 countries.’
Mamba was also less than flattering when he received a diplomatic note saying that Gadaffi had given himself a new title, ‘King of Culture’. He is said to have reacted with ‘amusement’ at the news.
Mamba’s comments about Gaddafi won’t please King Mswati, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, who has been sucking up to Libya for years, trying to get business and economic aid for Swaziland.
Relations between Gaddafi and the king were previously said to be warm. In 2009 Gaddafi sent the king six camels as a token of friendship.
Both King Mswati and Barnabas Dlamini,Swaziland’s illegally-appointed Prime Minister, have visited Libya in attempts to drum up business and aid from Gadaffi. Dlamini was in Libya as recently as last month (November 2010).
But, the Libyan leader’s money does not come without strings attached. A West African diplomat who refused to have his name or that of his country published told the Independentnewspaper in the UK, ‘We made a deal with Libya whereby we would support and vote for all resolutions proposed by Mr Gaddafi at [AU] summits in exchange for his help.’
How much Gadaffi’s support has cost Swaziland is not known. When his year as AU Chair was up, Gaddafi tried without success to have his term extended, but could not get the support of enough African nations. It would be interesting to know what position Swaziland took to help Gadaffi get his way.
Norway has been told to ‘stop poking its nose’ into the affairs of Swaziland by a top civil servant in the kingdom.
The Norwegian Embassy in South Africa will next week hold a seminar to discuss the deteriorating political situation in Swaziland, ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Clifford Mamba condemned the seminar. He told the Times of Swaziland,the only independent daily newspaper in the kingdom, he was surprised ‘the Norwegian government was poking its nose in the affairs of the country when the kingdom did not do same to their country’.
The international community has identified Swaziland as an enemy of democracy and there is much concern about the way King Mswati and Barnabas Dlamini, the man he illegally-appointed Prime Minister, have used the Suppression of Terrorism Act to squash legitimate dissent in the kingdom, where political parties are banned and those that try to operate are branded ‘terrorist entities’.
Participants at the seminar, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, will include Secretary of the Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF) Vincent Ncongwane, as well as the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ (COSATU) International Secretary Bongani Masuku, among others.
They will discuss how best to assist in developing the understanding of the political conditions in Swaziland, the democratic movement of Swaziland, and how the international community could play a role in supporting the struggle towards democracy.
Speakers will include Christian Hildan, Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa, who will discuss why Swaziland has become an issue of international concern and give his government’s view point while Ncongwane will detail the extent of the crisis in Swaziland.
The launch of the Swaziland Democracy Campaign last Sunday (21 February 2010) may prove to be the start of a set of actions that lead to real change in the kingdom.
The campaign has made some headlines across the world, but the newspapers in Swaziland choose not to share the good news of the campaign beyond their own borders. The websites of the Times of Swaziland, the kingdom’s only independent daily, and the Swazi Observer, the paper in effect owned by King Mswati III, didn’t report the event on their websites, so people who can’t buy the papers live in ignorance of how the local media reacted to the event.
Below (for the historical record) is what appeared in the print edition of the Times yesterday (23 February 2010).
I particularly liked the response from the Swazi Government (see the final report at the end of this post). ‘Principal· Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations Clifford Mamba said he was not in a position to comment on what happened as they had not been briefed officially.’
There you are then, until someone officially tells him, it hasn’t happened. Somehow I think Mamba will miss the revolution when it comes.
JOHANNESBURG - A campaign dubbed the Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC) was launched in South Africa on Sunday.
Several local and South African organisations endorsed the formation of the 'international campaign for democracy in Swaziland.'
The campaign was launched at the civic centre in Johannesburg and was attended by over 200 activists and representatives of different organisations.
The launch was preceded by a strategic planning workshop where a joint declaration was crafted as well as an agreed programme of action.
Amongst some of the high profile speakers who attended were Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)President Sdumo Dlamini,· Global Solidarity activists and a member of the famous Walter Sisulu family, Elinor Sisulu.
The Swaziland Solidarity Network (which is banned in Swaziland) Secretary General Sikhumbuzo Thomo was also present.
The SDC workshop was attended by some of the well known democracy activists including former Illovo Managing Director Mandla Hlatshwako and Dr Ray Russon, Former SFTU Secretary General Jan Sithole and Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organizations (SCCCO) Musa Hlophe.
People who attended were given free SDC T-shirts and were informed of the launch of the SDC website. Coordinators of the campaign include COSATU's Crystal Dicks, COSATU international secretary Bongani Masuku, Vanitia Govender arid Philani Ndebele.
One of the activities that will be embarked upon by the SDC is to seek finances for the campaign, help coordinate training for Swazi activities in different areas as well as help forge unity within the progressive inside the country.
COSATU boss says sacrifices need to made
JOHANNESBURG .. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has said it is not a big brother to Swaziland and will not fight on her behalf but will rather complement her work. COSATU President Sdumo Dlamini said they would not substitute Swazis in this struggle but would only expect them to make hard sacrifices for their own victory and freedom.
He said COSATU would not fight on Swaziland's behalf, but would rather fight side by side with the Swazi people
SD government to seek briefing on launch
MANZINI Government is mum for now on the formation of the democratic campaign against the. country.
Principal· Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations Clifford Mamba said he was not in a position to comment on what happened as they had not been briefed officially. He said they would wait for their embassy in South and only then would they be able to brief them on the SDC in a position to comment.
