By Kwanele Dhladhla
Prime Minister Russell Dlamini, who remains adamant that Parliament is controlled by a cabal and he has evidence to substantiate his allegation, has been challenged to name the people whom he claims control the legislature and further share the information in his possession with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to effect arrests with immediate effect.
This submission was made by Senator Siphelele Mkhonta during the Senate Portfolio Committee’s Private and Cabinet Offices 2025/2026 budget debate on Monday.
Mkhonta called upon the PM to clarify his statement, which was published in local media, that there was a cabal that controls Parliament and the media by influencing the narrative of what gets published.
The senator said the PM’s statement that Parliament was controlled by a cabal effectively meant he was also part of the legislators who were being controlled together with the Members of Parliament and senators who were appointed by His Majesty King Mswati III during the second session of the 12th Parliament.
Mkhonta said since the PM was privy to information about the cabal, which was unknown to him, he should shed light as to what the secret political clique wants because he claimed that they have intentions that differ from the government’s strong intent of improving the economy to mutate Eswatini into a first world country ultimately.
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According to the PM, the group does not operate like the mafia portrayed in films, but nonetheless, remains a powerful, organised entity working against the State’s efforts.
“The PM must tell us who are the members of this cabal and what they want because he clearly understands what they want since he was in a position to tell us that they have different intentions than the government.
Does this statement by the PM mean they control even myself and all members of parliament which includes princes, chiefs and the King’s appointees,” wondered Mkhonta.
The senator said the PM ought to have known that such a strong political statement should have been substantiated with facts and also see to it that immediate legal action gets undertaken especially because he continues to be in charge of Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS).
Senator Lindiwe Ngwenya said since the PM was aware of the cabal, he needed to help the country ensure that the suspects were brought before the long arm of the law to face justice.
She said the PM should engage with the ACC for the suspects to be arrested. The senator said the cabal should not be allowed to roam around freely when was what they were plotting to get into activities which undermine state integrity.
“The PM says there is a cabal controlling Parliament. Therefore, he must assist in ensuring that they get arrested since he already knows them,” said Ngwenya.
In response to submissions by the portfolio committee members particularly in relation to the cabal issue, Dlamini explained what a cabal was according to his understanding.
He gave two definitions of a cabal, the first being a secret political clique or faction with a common goal. The PM said another definition of a cabal referred to a small group which makes a secret political move.
“We cannot hide that a cabal exists in the country. Some people know they are part of it while others don’t but there is a cabal and it must be stopped,”
Dlamini insisted without naming the powerful individuals linked with the cabal.
The PM disclosed that he learnt about the existence of the cabal through his offices’ intelligence unit. Dlamini further submitted that he was not just speaking about rumours but had evidence to substantiate the allegations he was making.
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To drive his point home, the PM made an example about the stock theft. He said in the case where cattle were being stolen in large numbers,
it was folly to keep arguing about whether cattle get stolen or not, but rather the focus should be on finding the culprits.
In the same vein, the PM said it was not ideal to argue about whether a cabal exists or not in the Kingdom. However,
he said what remains important at this point would be to join forces to ensure that the country gets rid of the cabal before it does more damage.
When earlier unpacking what he perceives as a pattern of orchestrated events, Dlamini claimed that there had been a sequence of stories in the press,
followed by coordinated parliamentary moves, which he believed demonstrated a deliberate, organised effort to undermine the government.
“You can actually tell by seeing what’s in the media that something is coming. From observing the different media platforms,
I can now tell that something will happen in Parliament and I must be ready for Cabinet or for Parliament that week,” the PM was quoted to have said.
“Some people are paid, there’s a mobilisation behind it and it’s well-orchestrated,” he added when further attesting to his firm belief that a cabal exists and actively works to influence national affairs.