Eswatini’s King Mswati appoints head of his office as acting premier

By Phathizwe Zulu

MBABANE, Eswatini (AA) - Eswatini’s King Mswati III has appointed Mgwagwa Gamedze, the chief executive officer in the King’s Office, as acting prime minister ahead of parliamentary elections on Friday.

“His Majesty King Mswati III has appointed King's Office Chief Officer Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze to perform the function of Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister effective today,” Attorney General Sifiso Khumalo said Thursday at the Ludzidzini Royal Residence near the capital Mbabane.

According to Khumalo, King Mswati urged principal secretaries who are controlling officers for government ministries to work with the acting prime minister for the approval of important decisions for government operations.

The attorney general added that King Mswati has also summoned the nation to the Ludzidzini Cattle Byre on Oct. 23.

According to Eswatini’s 2005 Constitution, the king summons the nation to the royal cattle byre whenever important national decisions have to be taken.

Even though the royal agenda is not known, culturally and constitutionally, on Oct. 23, he is likely to appoint a new prime minister and call for a people’s parliament where citizens will debate political, economic and social issues.

Former Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini’s illustrious political career began in July 2021 after the passing of Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini, who died of COVID-19 in December 2020, and the civil revolt on June 29, 2021 that shook the foundations of the monarchy to the core.

Cleopas Dlamini, in his last day in office on Wednesday, sympathized with Swazis who lost their lives to COVID-19 and during the civil unrest.

Acting Prime Minister Gamedze on Thursday welcomed election observer missions from the Commonwealth, the European Union, the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the US Embassy and the Russian Federation and promised peaceful, free and fair elections.