By Ncaba Ntshakala
The government has acknowledged the recent meeting held by junior officers of the Royal Eswatini Police Service Staff Association (REPOSA) in Manzini, expressing concern over accusations directed at Prime Minister Russell Dlamini during the gathering.
Government spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo issued a statement addressing the meeting’s outcomes and cautioned against politicizing administrative issues.
While the government recognizes the officers’ right to meet and discuss their welfare, Nxumalo emphasized that the Prime Minister’s actions in Parliament have been misunderstood.
“Junior police officers are advised against using Parliamentary politics and some Members of Parliament as trojan horses on purely administrative and bread-and-butter issues,” he stated.
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Nxumalo clarified that the Prime Minister, as a Member of Parliament (MP) first, participates in parliamentary debates in his capacity as an MP.
“When he debates, he is not in a ‘fight’ with anyone but addressing issues under discussion,” he added.
The statement raised concerns about a comment made during the REPOSA meeting that linked the ongoing salary dispute to potential security risks.
Nxumalo cautioned against framing the issue as a security threat, warning that such rhetoric could create misunderstandings.
“By alluding that the salary issue is already a ‘security threat,’ this might be misinterpreted as negotiating with someone while putting a gun on his head.
That is not negotiating, but committing a heist ‘KUBAMBINKUNZI,’” Nxumalo remarked.
He stressed that junior police officers, as state officials, have a duty to avoid escalating the matter into a security issue.
“Projecting a predetermined approach that elevates the salary dispute to ‘security threat’ levels would be dangerous and polarizing for all parties involved,” Nxumalo said.
He urged those concerned to remain focused on finding a lasting resolution to the issue, noting the significance of maintaining national unity and stability throughout the process.
Nxumalo emphasis on that the Prime Minister’s actions are not intended to create division within the national security forces.
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“The Prime Minister is not and has not done anything to cause division within the ranks of the Kingdom’s national security services,” he said.
Instead, the Prime Minister is urging stakeholders to resolve the salary dispute, which dates back to 2014, long before his appointment to office.
The government spokesperson concluded by urging for continued efforts to reach a peaceful resolution to the long-standing matter.
“The focus must remain on resolving this issue amicably and avoiding destructive actions that could negatively impact the welfare of junior police officers and the nation at large,” Nxumalo emphasized.
