MANKAYANE – His Majesty King Mswati III has made a pledge to continue to lead with the best interests of the people at heart and in the footsteps of his predecessors.

The King made the pledge when he addressed hundreds of emaSwati during the King’s birthday celebration held at Mankayane yesterday.
His Majesty said as per the culture in Eswatini, a king will always be one by his people which in vernacular is translated as “inkhosi, yinkhosi ngebantfu”. With screams coming from all directions in the arena, His Majesty mentioned that the most effective development for a country was one in which people made a conscious effort to unify around a common goal of improving lives and believe in their collective potential to make a difference in their communities. The King said with the help of government and various poverty-relief funds, government was going to make significant progress towards our ultimate goal of becoming a developed country.

Philosophy

“May we be reminded that time is of the essence and, therefore, the ‘Nkwe’ philosophy should apply in all our endeavours. We should not lose sight of the over five per cent economic growth target to achieve that requires our collective effort,” His Majesty said. Regarding the big day, His Majesty said it was a memorable one and that he was glad to see so many diverse smiles across the stadium.  The King said he was greatly humbled and overjoyed that emaSwati came out in their numbers to celebrate the special day.

“When I recall last year’s events, it feels like the double celebrations were just yesterday. This is why people say time flies; to me, it has been a journey filled with possibilities, challenges and success, among other anecdotes,” the King said.

Commemoration

Regarding the significance of the celebration, His Majesty said a commemoration of this nature had become synonymous with bringing the people and the monarchy closer together, thereby bolstering our peace and stability. The King said such displayed an essential attribute of the Kingdom of Eswatini’s monarchical democracy. “We thank the Almighty God for preserving and honouring us with unity of purpose during the last year, as well as for protecting our national heritage. This birthday celebration comes just after the recent national Easter services honouring the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“We, therefore, cannot take for granted to thank the Almighty God on this day who has blessed us with life and good health,” said His Majesty.
Also, the King said yesterday’s ceremony served as a reminder of the nation’s core values and that it honoured and celebrated the country’s leadership as a source of national pride, as well as our unity and identity.

Emphasised

On another note, His Majesty emphasised in his speech that government will not stop in its quest to increase efforts towards job creation. The King made reference to recent statistics which reflect that there has been a minor decrease in the unemployment rate for youth, something he said was encouraging but that there was a need to speed up efforts to create jobs. “In recent days, we visited various job development efforts in the Lubombo Region. The mining, tourism, hospitality, health, education, construction and services sectors have shown considerable promise for unemployment in Eswatini.

“Let us support these efforts to grow our economy and attract additional investments,” His Majesty said. In ending his address, His Majesty commended all who contributed to the success of his special day. The King also appreciated the performances, mainly those displayed by the youth saying they showed that the country was geared up for the journey towards achieving First World status. Also, His Majesty thanked individuals and companies for showering him with gifts, which are widely referred to as ‘tetfulo’.

Celebration

It should be noted that in his opening remarks, His Majesty welcomed all who attended the celebration and those who were there in spirit or followed the activities through various media platforms. The King recounted how three days ago he had an opportunity to bless a project that will provide job opportunities for the people of Eswatini, particularly the youth. “When I met with the investors a few months ago, they informed me that they were to bring a birthday gift in the form of a job creation initiative. I am relieved that this has been realised, since it will provide the youth with some hope,” His Majesty said.

In closing, the King said he appreciated the prayers, well wishes and the wonderful gifts presented to him by different companies and individuals.
On another note, it seems like former Botswana President Ian Khama has grown to love Eswatini national events. During the King’s birthday celebrations held at Mankayane yesterday, the former president was a main guest of His Majesty King Mswati III. Worth noting is that just two weeks ago, Khama was a guest at the Army Day held at Nokwane.

Diplomats

He was a guest together with former South Africa President Jacob Zuma. Yesterday, he arrived at the arena at exactly 11:25am and was welcomed by the Prime Minister (PM), Russel Mmiso Dlamini. The PM and Khama took their seats inside the VIP arena and spent some moments chatting as cameras clicked from different angles. Other dignitaries who attended the celebration included Cabinet ministers, diplomats and members of royal families from South Africa. Also in attendance was Inkosi Hhoyi II who sits as the Leader and Chairperson of the Hhoyi Traditional Council in the bakaNgomane Kingdom in the Mpumalanga Province, Soith Africa.