King threatens Swazi reforms
2004-03-15 13:12
Bobo Lukhele & Justin Arenstein
Mbabane, Swaziland - Swaziland's carefully constructed veneer of democratic reform has slipped dramatically after absolute monarch King Mswati III ordered the immediate resignation of outspoken parliamentary speaker Marwick Khumalo.
A tearful Khumalo told a special session of parliament last week that Mswati personally ordered his resignation - despite parliament's groundbreaking vote to keep him on as speaker.
The parliamentary vote of confidence followed attempts by Swaziland attorney general Phesheya Dlamini and an informal committee of royalists known as the 'Mafutseni' (the fat ones) to unseat Khumalo in February by claiming he was irregularly elected to the post in November 2003.
Parliament, which is directly elected by villagers in Swaziland's unique 'no party' Tinkhundla political system, defied the Mafutseni by publicly confirming its choice of Khumalo as speaker.
The palace immediately struck back, indefinitely suspending all sittings of parliament, and summonsing Khumalo to a royal audience at the Ludzidzini royal court this week.
"His Majesty instructed me to resign. I am therefore leaving, and my deputy will take over. Parliament will adjourn indefinitely until we are told what will happen next," said an emotional Khumalo.
Visibly stunned parliamentarians listened spellbound as Khumalo then broke into tears, saying that Mswati's only official reason for intervening was his discovery of a sordid childhood sex scandal involving the speaker.
Khumalo was allegedly sexually abused while still underage by one of the 100 wives of Mswati's father, King Sobhuza II.
"I was just 14 at the time, and was the victim, and anyway the matter was resolved by royal elders," said Khumalo. "This all happened 25 years ago but is being revived by [royalists] who do not like my outspokenness on political issues."
Khumalo first clashed with Mswati's conservative palace administration last year, when he led heated opposition within parliament to government plans to spend $45m on a new private jet for Swaziland's 35-year-old monarch.
"Parliament eventually voted against the jet, and the [palace] has since always blamed me for leading the criticism ... even now, they fear that I will overwhelm the Parliament with my 'unpopular' political influence, and so they try get rid of me by hook or crook," said Khumalo.
Pundits believe however that the real bone of contention is Khumalo's leadership of the Sive Siyinqaba cultural organisation, which by its members' own admission is a thinly disguised political party, and its calls for clarification of the separation of powers in the kingdom.
Mswati is no stranger to controversy. He was widely criticised last year after announcing plans to spend $14m on new palaces for his 10 wives and two fiances at a time when the kingdom faces a deficit of around $145m and appealing for donor assistance to feed 140 000 citizens.