It is surprising to note that,Swazi Observer editor Mbongeni Mbingo is continuing with his mission to destroy the media and we will not allow him to achieve this.
Last week, we worked tirelessly with other eSwatini journalists from the Times, eSwatini TV, Rubicon Media, Swazi Observer, Channel S and other media houses to ensure that, the Elective Conference is held at Happy Valley Hotel-Ezulwini.
I personally organized thirty thousand Rands(R30,000.00) to fund some of the activities including travelling allowances for journalists while Mduduzi Magagula, Lwazi Dlamini and others played a significant role in organizing other resources including the venue.
Now, Mbingo is contacting some members of the Executive Commitee for the Eswatini National Association of Journalists(SNAJ) questioning them why I was allowed to be part of the media organization because Government banned me.
Firstly, let me first bring to the attention of the Swazi Observer editor that, I was nominated by journalists to stand for the elections as the Secretary General of the organization, this is an organization for journalists not Government and let me make this clear to Mbingo who is an agent of the oppressive Tinkhundla Government.
I am writing this article after attempting to call Mbingo on his cellphone,I wanted to first address him personally because I’m not afraid of him.
After being nominated,I declined the nomination and supported Ntombi Mhlongo from the Times and Lwazi Dlamini as the President, I did this despite knowing that, these journalists are pro-Tinkhundla but they don’t behave like Mbingo, they embrace different opinions and to me it was about leadership not political beliefs.
Mbingo wants all of us to think like him and be puppets of the Tinkhundla regime, NO, we are independent minded and unlike him, we are not begging jobs from this Government.
Despite declining the nomination,I then organized R30,000.00 to support the organization hold its Elective Conference and I did that without ambitions to hold any position at SNAJ.
Perhaps let me bring to the attention of Mbongeni Mbingo that,I am the eSwatini journalist who was selected by international media organizations to compile the eSwatini World Press Freedom Index for the France based Reporters Without Borders(RSF), one of the highest international media organizations in world.
I’m surprised to learn that Mbingo still believes something could be done to fight me, no one in the eSwatini media, Government or anywhere within the Tinkhundla system will ever succeed in fighting or silencing me.
I am a member of various international media organizations and I am supporting the eSwatini media with passion to see other young journalists grow and having a better life.
Swaziland News is a member of the Press Council of South Africa and regulated by South African laws, no decision taken by any media organization in eSwatini will ever have jurisdiction over me as the editor or the publication, this should ring in Mbingo stupid and captured mind.
I will continue to support eSwatini journalists to strengthen the organization and Mbingo who destroyed the Eswatini Editors Forum(EEF) is now eyeing the Association of Journalists seeking to divide journalists,what a shame!!!
I am also a former Executive member of the Editors Forum and I’m in consistent communication with senior eSwatini editors, we are working towards removing Mbingo as the Chairman.
Mbingo was elected by us at Mountain-Inn Hotel in Mbabane to hold the position of Chairman and we will remove him because he is now an agent of Government, he embarrassed Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu by depriving him his right to address Prime Minister Russell Dlamini.
After we elected Mbingo as the Chairman of the Editor’s Forum, he became power drunk,allegedly took bribes and slept with almost all powerful women in the country including Chief Executive Officers(CEOs), he told some that he is the Chairman of the media and will be able to control and stop us not to criticize them.
Now, he can’t write or publish any investigative story because he has proximity with almost all powerful people in the country, he wants all of us to be useless like him.
As journalists, we have a Whatsap Group where we discuss our issues, I am shocked to learn that, Mbongeni Mbingo who is now an elderly at fifty-three(53) years is still continuing with his “kuhlebana” tendency.
Why is Mbingo calling Executive Members of eSwatini Association of Journalists asking them why they are discussing issues with me in our own Whatsap Group that he is not part of?.
I’ve never seen such a stupid captured editor,Mbingo akachaze kutsi kwaya ngani Inkhosikati LaMbikiza, umfati weNgwenyama imlitsele kudla lapha ka-Times ngesikafutini itfumele royal guards driving escorts purchased with public funds.
In return, Mbingo was promoting LaMbikiza in the STYLE entertainment pages, describing her as the most stylish and beautiful woman, Mbongeni Mbingo thinks the media is his personal sex-tool to sleep with powerful women and be used to create proximity with those in power for personal or sexual benefit.
How can you claim to love the Tinkhundla Government and the King ube ulala nemfati weNkhosi, aze lomfati akuletsele kudla emsebentini emini libalele?.
Some of us we may criticize the King but we respect him as the Head of State and there are things we know cannot be done to a person who hold such a powerful position.
Ulala njani nje nemfati weNkhosi intfo leyesabeka kangaka and then claim to love and respect the King, what a shame!!!.
In conclusion, let me warn Mbingo that, he will never succeed in his mission, he must just attend the meetings where he was summoned by senior Editors to explain why he grabbed a microphone from Nation Magazine Bheki Makhubu during the Breakfast Meeting with the PM.
In the meantime, he must present cattle to King Mswati and apologize for allegedly sleeping with his wife, in our Customary Law “kulicala kulala nemfati wemuntfu angiyiteki-ke yekulala nemfati weNkhosi kumele ngabe Mbingo wengca Tikhulu letisikhombisa”.
Journalists are financially struggling in eSwatini with low salaries, we cannot keep quiet just because some of us managed to survive under oppressive conditions, the Association of Journalists is being revived to prioritize the welfare of journalists.
The media is not a personal tool for umuntfu lowalala nemfati weNkhosi bese ucabanga kutsi utasiphatsa lana asitjele kutsi we must not criticize Government. He must just back-off!!!.
Swazi Observer editor Mbongeni Mbingo.