By Zweli Martin Dlamini

In this country we have Chiefs who treat emaSwati like outcasts just because they are not royalty.

Indeed, people are living in fear of being evicted in the rural areas and/or on Swazi Nation Land if they dare disagree with their Chiefs or hold different political views.

Mbongeni Mamba was born from the Mamba Kingdom under great King Maloyi, he then secured a piece of land at Macetjeni through the “Kukhonta”customary practice.

But Mamba is facing eviction at Macetjeni merely for refusing to allow royal witches(Bemanti) to invade his home and perform rituals(kutsakatsa).

Historically, Mbongeni Mamba who is facing eviction at Macetjeni under Prince Chief Mshengu is a descendent of the Dlamini royal family.

Prince Maloyi, the founder of the Mamba clan was a brother to the late King Somhlolo(Sobhuza I),  Maloyi was then allocated a huge land in the eastern parts of eSwatini after demonstrating bravery  during the Mfacane wars, he was allowed by Somhlolo to establish a Kingdom as a recognition.

Chief Prince Mshengu’s father Prince Maguga was buried in the same ‘royal Mountain’ where my grandfather Prince Mgungu was buried and this means,  even though our forefathers were fighting for this country in the 1800s, I am now forced to hold my royal relatives who are oppressing other emaSwati accountable because, they think being royalty is superiority.

But personally, I believe in justice, equality and that citizens must be treated with human dignity in an open, fair and just society.

Mbongeni Mamba’s great-grandfather Prince Maloyi who was later crowned King Maloyi, fought for this country and if he can rise from the death he would be surprised to learn that one of his sons is being persecuted by a descendant of his brother King Somhlolo.

But not all members of the royal family behave like Macetjeni Chief Prince Mshengu, some understand that even though we are related, we cannot always agree politically and, how this country is governed or ruled.

Within the royal family, there are Princes and Princesses who understand that, differing in political opinions is part of human nature while others in their shallow minds, are of the view that those who disagree with the current regime, are not real emaSwati.

But the persecution faced by Mbongeni Mamba at Macetjeni is the sad reality in some rural areas, it’s easy for some Chiefs to just wake-up in the morning and stop a funeral without even considering the costs involved in the preparation of the funeral.

As to why emaSwati are treated like outcasts in their own country, nobody knows.

It’s even worse for emaSwati who are not related to the royal family, they are forced to live like outcasts even though their forefathers equally fought for this country during ancient wars.

Citizens of this country must be treated with human dignity, this country belongs to all emaSwati and Dlaminis are just privileged to be a ruling royal family.

In conclusion, let me remind Chief Prince Mshengu that “kutsakatsa” is a serious crime in terms of eSwatini Law and Custom such, it was even included as a ground for terminating customary marriage.

Therefore, Mbongeni Mamba was enforcing our Customary Law by fighting the royal witches known as “Bemanti”, these witches must be condemned for invading people’s homes in broad daylight to perform rituals(kutsakatsa).

It is therefore unjust for Chief Prince Mshengu to persecute Mamba merely for fighting royal witches, tsine sikhule sati kutsi batsakatsi bahamba ebusuku siyamangala uma batsakatsi sebatsakatsa emini baphindze bavikelwe namaphoyisa netiphatsimandla telive.

Nangabe Mswati ufuna kutsakatsa, kumele atsakatse ebusuku singamboni not to send his witches to invade people’s homes.

We won’t accept royal witchcraft as part of our eSwatini culture and we will continue to condemn as we hereby do, the invasion of people’s homes and the harassment of emaSwati including women and children by these royal witches.