SWAZI ROYALS MISUSE EMBASSIES

Why does Swaziland have so many embassies and consulates in foreign countries? The kingdom is the smallest on the African continent and is virtually invisible on the international stage. It doesn’t do much trade globally and on close inspection it is obvious that it doesn’t need to go to the vast expense of keeping embassies overseas.

The answer is King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, and the way he and his Royal Family bleed dry the Swazi people.

A reader of this blog with close connections to the Swazi Royal Family has written to me to tell me about their misuse of Swaziland’s embassy in Taiwan.

But it’s not only Taiwan: there is also misuse of three Swazi embassies in the Middle East.

The reader writes, ‘The Swazi embassy in Taiwan is run by none other than Njabuliso Gwebu, sister-in-law of the king (sister of langangaza).

‘She was promoted from hairdresser to diplomat. She once attempted teaching but was forced to retire in the public interest for a scandal she committed.

‘She has turned the office in Taiwan into a family business. Her sister Thandiwe Dlamini is her secretary and Thandiwe’s husband Fakudze has joined them at government expense. The ministry of foreign affairs paid for his ticket to go there.

‘He is said to be studying for a masters degree yet while in Swaziland he was a driver at the Ministry for Housing. How does somebody graduate from driver to Masters?

‘This is at the expense of deserving Swazi students who could get scholarships and study there.

‘Thandiwe’s son caused a scandal a few years ago when he impregnated the daughter of the ambassador of Malawi in Taiwan, yet Thandiwe was never recalled from the foreign service of Swaziland.

‘Njabuliso is also said to be arranging for her husband Dumisani Gwebu to be employed as an investment officer at the same embassy.’

The reader also points out to me that three embassies in the Middle East were opened simply to accommodate the needs of King Mswati’s children.

Qatar - was opened especially for Princess Tiyandza to go to university in that country.

Emirates - was opened for Prince Bandzile to study there. He is tipped to be appointed ambassador there in 2011 after he learns the ropes.

Kuwait - was opened for Princess Temaswati to study in that country.

KING SNUBS UNIVERSITY OF SWAZILAND

King Mswati III of Swaziland has once again shown he has no confidence in his kingdom’s only university, even though he is its chancellor.

The king, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, never sends any of his children to the University of Swaziland (UNISWA), even though it claims to be of international standard.

This week the king’s third son Prince Bandzile Dlamini starts studies at Zayed University, United Arab Emirates (UAE). His elder sister Princess Sikhanyiso graduated this year from Biola University in Los Angeles, California.

The king has so little confidence in his kingdom’s educational system as a whole that he never sends his children to local schools. Prince Bandzile who is aged 20 spent the past five years studying in England.

The king is reckoned to have 25 children (so far) but we cannot be certain, because like the number of wives he has, this is information that the Swazi people are not allowed to know.

Prince Bandzile, who clearly has a very privileged yet sheltered background, told the National newspaper in UAE, ‘I thought that the Middle East would be a good place to go after England. I felt like I wanted some exposure to the world.

‘I was interested in Dubai so I told my embassy to find me the best schools and they recommended Zayed.’

Zayed is a strange choice for someone wanting ‘exposure to the world’. Until this year it only admitted women, but now more than 100 male students are being allowed to join the university. But they will be kept separate from the women as both sexes study and live separately.

The National says he already feels at home in the UAE, which seems not so different from Swaziland.



‘There are many cultural similarities, such as not shaking a woman’s hand,’ he said.

And what will Prince Bandzile be studying? International relations. He says he wants to represent Swaziland in the Foreign Service.

Let’s hope his new university programme includes courses on human rights.