Swazis Worship One-Legged God

 Swaziland considers herself a Christian country. After banning the study of other religions in schools, and with the king holding a yearly sermon at one of his palaces, it sure seems like the kingdom is serious about the Christian faith what you may or may not know, however, is that Swaziland has its own god, and he’s not exactly the same as Jesus. Jesus said he was the only way, the truth and the light, but what of Mlentengamunye, the one-legged one from the humble hills of Swaziland?

One Leg Is Better Than Two?

Just as Jesus is the way to the Father, so is Mlentengamunye the way to ‘the One Who Appeared First’, known in siSwati as Mvelinchanti. Mvelichanti is too exalted to be approached by humans, and so Mlentengmunye’s responsibilty is to serve as messenger between God and man. Ancestors and other divine beings are also enlisted in this endeavour but the one-legged one is highly regarded for his unique abilities.

Not only does Mlentengamunye hop on to the creator with messages from humanity, he also passes messages from the creator to humanity. He is believed to ascend in a cloud on the mountains and supposedly, his leg appears hanging above the mountains while the cloud conceals the rest of his body. Whenever Mlentengamunye is said to have appeared, celebration was the order of the day. Everyone would draw closer to the mountain where they claim they saw him and various offerings of meat, drinks and food would be presented to him. Meat would be burned in the hope that he would enjoy the lovely smell from up in the skies. Some of the meat is eaten by the revellers while the bones are burned. If it starts to rain right after the people have presented their offering on the mountain, it’s consider a good omen, indicating that the offerings were successful.

Amputee Diety

Not all his so-called appearances are met with excitement. There are times when they signify the coming of a natural disaster. In such cases, the people go to the mountaintop with offerings to accompany their request to be spared from the elements. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also something done by mothers, where they bury their children neck-deep in a sandy riverbed, deserting them while crying before returning to lift them out. As the kids cry out, it is believed that Mvelichanti hears the noise, prompting him to put an end to the disaster on Earth.

In ‘The Swazi Traditional Concept of God’ by L. Vilakazi, we read; “Unlike in most African countries, missionaries did not come to Swaziland on their own initiative, they were invited by the Swazi authorities and received enthusiastic welcome when they arrived. All this was because of Sobhuza’s dream.” The late King Sobhuza, also known as Somhlolo, dreamt of “strange people emerging from the sea, carrying two objects, an umculu (book) and an indilinga (coin), this dream led to missionaries being invited into the kingdom.

How fascinating is the story of the one-legged god of Swaziland? Do you think there’s room for him in the Christian faith? Would you be open to exploring the Swazi Traditional Religion? Make a confession in the comments below; be tolerant of other people’s beliefs and FOLLOW FOR EVERYTHING SWAZILAND!

The Biosafety Bill: King Mswati's Deal With The Devil | OPINION

 What’s the point of having a law if companies can fork out money to be exempted from the provisions of that law? There are no safeguards set out when it comes to food aid in Swaziland. Section 14 of the Biosfatey Bill No. 7 of 2012 is even reminiscent of the mafia’s ‘conspiracy of silence’. Is this bill really about the wellbeing of the people and the environment around them? We took a look.

No To GMOs

Swaziland has been gearing up for a biotechnological future, as made evident in the existence of the Royal Science and Biotechnology Park. Most of us consume GMOs without even knowing it. For something to interact with our biology, it has to be tried, tested, and painstakingly researched because lives are literally at stake. The RSTP should be involved in a review of the bil, with the general populace being part of the process.

The Biosafety Bill is meant to regulate GMOs in the country in such a way that the strictest safety standards and best practices are followed. Contrary to that, it would seem that the legislation whose focus should be on the people’s health is more concerned with making things favourable for big companies looking to cash in on Swaziland’s food insecurity. By the end of the article, it should be clear why such a claim is being made by this publication.

Money Is The Motive

The public, whom the legislation affects, is not involved in the decision-making process around GMOs, especially when it comes to applications for authorization, and this is not in line with the Draft Policy preceding the bill. This can be perceived as unethical, considering the public has a right to be involved in the policy-making process. Those who are governed must be consulted about the instruments regulating their lives, this is Political Science 101.

When it comes to commercially imported bulk shipments of GMOs, there is no requirement that the shipments be assessed for safety, with the highest standards observed and industry best practices employed. When it comes to food aid, the bill disappoints even more. Only milled GM food should be allowed in Swaziland, according to the Draft policy. The shipments must be accompanied by a written declaration guaranteeing all events have been approved in the country of origin and it doesn’t contain any unapproved contaminants. All of these requirements were firmly set out in the Draft Policy, but when it comes to the actual bill, there are no real safety precautions for food aid.

Hectic Genetics

Several studies have come out suggesting that some GMOs may not be as safe to consume as we had thought. Monsanto's GM corn was linked to tumours in rats after a study was conducted on the effect of the corn. We know that human beings share many genes with rats, which is why we normally use rats during experiments. If rats can get cancer from Monsanto's corn, then so can we.

The ramifications of the gaps and blunders in legislative instruments of this nature are huge. Imagine if the poor people of Swaziland have been eating sickness-inducing food aid all this time. The damage would have already been done, and little could be done to remedy the consequences. When it comes to people’s health, there are no do-overs. Sure, you can drag governments and organizations through the courts. You might even get reasonable compensation by way of a judge’s verdict, but the fact of the matter is that we live once and life is irreplaceable.

Since Swaziland is a Christian country, and in the spirit of spirituality, it’s worth mentioning that even the bible is against GMOs. Refer to Leviticus 19:19 for evidence towards that end. How shocking is it for the kingdom to take this matter so lightly, even going as far as letting companies bend the rules? Doesn’t SD have a bioethics authority of some sort? What do you think of the Biosafety Bill and what should be done about it? Does it sound like this bill is really about biosafety? Drop a comment below, research more on GMOs, and FOLLOW FOR EVERYTHING KING MSWATI! 

WHO WILL BE NEXT? Swaziland's Royal Wedlock Trend

 The marula fruit doesn’t fall too far from the tree in the kingdom of Swaziland, where more and more royals seem to be born out of wedlock. We’re never told about his majesty’s origin story. We only hear how he bravely ascended to the throne at a tender age, but as to how he got there; most of us think a king and queen had a baby, resulting in Mswati. National Geographic has gone on record saying Ntombi Tfwala only married King Sobhuza after he died, as a means to lubricate the transition of power.

Adultery Is For Adults

Queen Dzeliwe was supposed to be the Queen Mother of Swaziland, as per King Sobhuza's wishes. Jonathan W. Rosen of National Geographic writes, "Although treated today as blasphemy, it’s an open secret inside Swaziland that Ntfombi, who continues to hold the powerful post of the queen mother, was never married to Sobhuza during his reign. She was a teenage maid in the house of one of his favorite wives, and was banished from the royal household when she became pregnant in 1967—a scenario recounted by Swazi elders to the civil liberties watchdog Freedom House and corroborated to me by multiple sources inside and outside of Swaziland. Sixteen years later, seeking to replace Queen Dzeliwe with a successor they could control, the Liqoqo found Ntfombi in a working-class Manzini neighborhood. In a highly usual ceremony, they staged a marriage between Ntfombi and Sobhuza’s corpse and installed her as a ruling figurehead until Mswati’s coronation.

‘Today, the consequences of this bizarre sequence of events are many. Never intended to be king, Mswati was not properly prepared for the role of monarch, says Mandla Hlatshwayo, who dealt routinely with Mswati as the president of Swaziland’s chamber of commerce and is now a prominent critic-in-exile. Unlike Sobhuza, who was groomed for the position from birth, Mswati was raised with “no expectation that he could be anything,” Hlatshwayo tells me via telephone from South Africa. Despite being sent by the royal family to a boarding school in England, Hlatshwayo says, he never developed crucial skills of diplomacy or proper respect for Swazi traditions.

It appears Princess Sikhanyiso has decided to walk in her grandmother’s footsteps. She’s always been full of surprises, the crown princess. In a royal nod to popular culture, her highness has been known to rap in her mother tongue, making her more than just a hip-hop enthusiast. It is this swimming against the tide that should come as no surprise for her to break the age-old tradition of giving birth when you are married. It is only the king’s fiancées who have to prove they are not infertile before marrying His Royal Highness. We need not mention how this proof is produced.

In many cultures, it is a shame, and considering how Princess Sikhanyiso’s pregnancy wasn’t publicized, although she proudly posted baby shower pictures on her Instagram. One can only wonder if the king is proud of his daughter. A father has high hopes for his eldest daughter; a great burden of responsibility is placed upon a child born in such a position; especially in a family as important as the royal Dlamini dynasty.

Wed Or Lock?

A normal Swazi might’ve expected the crown princess to marry another royal or someone from a very wealthy family. Rumours are to the effect that it is those the princess dates that end up benefiting more from having relationships with her. In any case, in the nation that has a South African company do its public relations and reputation management; such is but a rumour in official eyes.

She was placed into the position of Minister of ICT, she was considered a dignified maiden, but for all we know, she's just like those 231 maidens that fell pregnant during lockdown and upset the king. Nobody knows if the young man has paid damages for the princess, but if he hasn’t, it wouldn’t a surprise considering how steep the price is. She is the crown princess after all.

Bouncing Baby Blue Bloods

Maidens looked up to her; they saw a responsible, respectful, and respectable young lady who was focused more on her goals than on men. She can no longer participate in ceremonies where maidens take part, although she’s still unmarried. She cannot receive the privileges and will not be subject to the responsibilities of being a woman in society until she is married. When it comes to traditional attire, she will not dress according to the rank of married woman. At the same time, you won’t find her bare-breasted as you do the maidens during traditional ceremonies like the Reed Dance.

Do you see a trend of being born out of wedlock among royalty? Do you think it’s weird that Mswati became king even though his mother never married his father? How do you think the royal family will handle things when Princess Sikhanyiso gets married? What in the world of wedlock are you waiting for? Leave a comment, share, and FOLLOW FOR EVERYTHING KING MSWATI!

Uncle King Mswati's Blunder: Royal Swazi Police Protect King Misuzulu | Opinion

 The Swazi taxpayer is once again burdened with another royal bill, except this time, it’s for the newly appointed Zulu King Misuzulu Zulu. Misuzulu is reported to have paid a visit to his uncle King Mswati in Swaziland where he picked up a few state security escorts to take back home with him. It seems they’re called the Royal Swaziland Police Service for a reason, but how does the Swazi taxpayer feel about this? We investigated.

Family Ties

The Trade Union Congress Of Swaziland, TUCOSWA, has come put to say that this was a political blunder. Secretary-General Mduduzi Gina is quoted as having said; “We give ourselves comfort that we are hopeful that there is some kind of agreement that was entered into between Eswatini and SA”. Gina noted how Swaziland did not have security jurisdiction in SA, going on to mention that the Zulu monarchy did not have any head of state as part of it. It's also necessary to note how the Swaziland Solidarity Network knew of the plan to protect the Zulu monarch, and they even issued a warning about two months ago.

“Security matters are political. We understand though that King Misuzulu has been in the country, which is second home but when it comes to issues of security, SA should have taken over,” said Gina. Worth noting is the fact that Misuzulu inherited a sizeable portion of his mother’s estate. He also assumed control of the Zulu kingdom’s budget of R79 million a year. Clearly, the king has the money to hire some muscle for his nephew, but why should he when the Swaziland government seems willing?

Uncle Knows Best

The South African government is far more capable of protecting the Zulu king than the Swazis are. R1.7 million in exhibits disappeared from a Swazi police station recently. Swaziland’s Royal Residence Protection Unit and all the police escorts that accompany Their Majesties wherever they go; they’ve all been draining the country’s coffers all this time. How much is it going to take to keep a foreign king safe country with high crime rates during a power transition filled with tension?

The natural thought that comes to mind is one of a caring uncle who is genuinely concerned about his nephew’s wellbeing. That may well be the case, but there are top-notch security companies like SA’s Night Guard that are very much able to take on a project of this magnitude. King Mswati was able to hire South African lawyers when he felt slandered by Zweli Martin Dlamini. Why can’t he turn to the private sector once again for his avuncular obligations?

Swaziland has been carrying royalty on her back for a very long time, and she's showing no signs of stopping any time soon. Is it right for Swazi police and soldiers to defend King Misuzulu? Do you think it's in the best interests of the Swazi people for the Zulu king to be safe, especially when they reign in two different countries? Do you think King Misuzulu will return the favour one day, is that what king Mswati is hoping for? Give us some royal responses in the comments section below, share with a Zulu and a Swazi, and FOLLOW FOR EVERYTHING KING MSWATI!