Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini

Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini (15 May 1942 – 28 September 2018) was a Swazi politician who served as Prime Minister of Eswatini, from 1996 to 2003 and again from October 2008 to September 2018.

His Excellency Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini
Dlamini at CHOGM 2011
8th Prime Minister of Eswatini
In office 23 October 2008 – 4 September 2018
Monarch	Mswati III
Preceded by	Bheki Dlamini (Acting)
Succeeded by	Vincent Mhlanga (Acting)
In office 26 July 1996 – 29 September 2003
Monarch	Mswati III
Preceded by	Sishayi Nxumalo (Acting)
Succeeded by	Paul Shabangu (Acting)
Personal details
Born	15 May 1942
Died	28 September 2018 (aged 76)
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	Jane Gezephi Matsebula (1970–2012) Joy Nonjabulo Gladness Maziya (2014–2016)
Alma mater	University of Wisconsin, Madison University of South Africa New York University

Career

Dlamini was a member of parliament from 1978 before becoming Minister of Finance from 1984 to 1993.[1] He was also an executive director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).[2] From 1996 to 2003, he was Prime Minister, and in 2003 he became a member of King Mswati III's advisory council.[3][4]

Dlamini was a candidate, backed by the Swazi government, for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission in early 2008.[4][5][6][7] The government withdrew his candidacy out of solidarity with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) so that SADC could present a single candidate.[7]

Following the September 2008 parliamentary election, Dlamini was reappointed as Prime Minister by Mswati III on 16 October 2008. Jan Sithole, the Secretary-General of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, was critical of the appointment, saying that Dlamini worked to "suppress political organisations and advance the strong rule of the monarchy" during his earlier period as Prime Minister; he also accused Dlamini of "strong-hand tactics and lack of respect for the rule of law". Opposition leader Mario Masuku, the President of the People's United Democratic Movement, said that Dlamini "was not appointed on merit but on his level of allegiance to the king".[3] Dlamini was sworn in by Chief Justice Richard Banda on 23 October 2008. He took the oath of office both in English and in SiSwati.[8]

In 2013, he was appointed for the third time in the ninth parliament.[9]

Personal life

Dlamini was married three times. His first wife was Jane Gezephi Matsebula, whom he married on 26 June 1970,[10] and who died on 14 December 2012 from kidney failure.[11] On 15 March 2014, he married Pastor Joy Nonjabulo Gladness Maziya; however, Dlamini filed for divorce just over two years later, on 1 April 2016.[12] In November 2017 he married Gugu Primrose Simelane, a teacher by profession. At the time Simelane was deputy head teacher at Siweni Nazarene Primary School. A few months after marrying Dlamini she was promoted to head teacher at Ngwenya Primary School.

Illness and death

In 2017, Dlamini went to Taiwan and South Africa for medical check-ups. He was admitted to an ICU in April 2018 in Mbabane.[13]

Dlamini died at age 76 from natural causes on September 28, 2018, less than a month after stepping down as Prime Minister.[14]

References

1. "The Prime Minister". www.gov.sz.
2. "Swaziland appoint Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini as prime minister", The Independent (UK), 27 July 1996.
3. "Swazi king names staunch royalist as prime minister", AFP, 16 October 2008. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
4. Elimane Fall, "Après Konaré, qui ?", Jeune Afrique, 23 December 2007 (in French). Archived 7 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine
5. "Candidacy of Dr. Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini to the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission", Swazi government website. Archived 25 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine
6. "In Preparation for AU Summit" Archived 6 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine, AU Monitor.
7. "Ex-PM Sibusiso out of AU race", The Swazi Observer, 2 January 2008.
8. Senzo Dlamini, "Barnabas sworn in – in style", Times of Swaziland, 24 October 2008.
9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
10. "'PM has lost best friend, advisor'". Swazi Observer. 22 December 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
11. Ngozo, Sibusisiwe (19 December 2012). "PM's wife to be laid to be buried on Saturday". Swazi Observer. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
12. "PM divorcing wife Joy". Times Of Swaziland. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
13. "PM Sick, Admitted to ICU". Times Of Swaziland. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
14. "Prime Minister Dlamini of eSwatini dies". Yahoo News. Retrieved 29 September 2018..