By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: King Mswati allegedly flew with his private jet just to enjoy lunch on air with his family and close allies.

Mswati, a multi-billionaire absolute Monarch with Executive Judicial and Legislative powers rules eSwatini, a tiny Kingdom with about 70% of the population living below the poverty line. 

Evidence in our possession suggests that on or around Friday 30th April 2021 in the morning, the King, together with his children, grandchildren, wives jetted out of this country to enjoy the said lunch as part of his recent birthday celebration.

Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo, the Attorney General(AG), King’s Office Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze and Private Secretary Mbongeni Simelane were allegedly among the King’s close allies who were part of the trip, children of the late King Sobhuza who are close relatives of the King were left behind.

The private jet left King Mswati International Airport(Sikhuphe) on Friday 30th April 2021 in the morning and travelled in the airspace of Madagascar and Mauritius among others before coming back to land at Sikhuphe on the same day.  

Reached for comments, Wandile Dludlu, the Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said as an organisation, they were not surprised with these developments adding it confirmed that the King prioritised extravagant spending and touring the world while the citizens of this country lived in poverty.

“Actually, he is being disturbed by the current COVID-19 pandemic that restrict traveling, his priority is spending money while the people are poor. It is for these reasons that we keep on reminding emaSwati to stand-up and demand a government for the people”, said the PUDEMO Secretary General.

Questions were sent to Government Spokesperson Sabelo Dlamini, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

But a royal insider told this publication that there was a possibility that the King was not only having lunch on air as a form of emntertainement but he was confirming if his resources were adequate enough for him to skip the country with his family should any political chaos erupt.

“The fact that his family including wives and grandchildren were there for the so called lunch on air means something, he left behind all the children of the late King Sobhuza. This means the people who were in that jet are those who are very close to him”, said the royal insider.

Reached for comments, Pius Vilakati, the Spokesperson of the Communist Party of Swaziland(CPS) said it was an insensitive thing for the King to have lunch in the air at the time when the majority of the people were living in poverty.

“Even the private jet was purchased with public funds and now, for him to demonstrate the absolute power over the people, he uses more public resources just to have lunch on air. The youth must intensify the calls for democracy, he must get a clear message that this generation cannot tolerate the oppression”, said the CPS Spokesperson.