…Classrooms opened, businesses toured, and Africa’s eyes are on Eswatini.
By Phesheya Ian Kunene
PHUZUMOYA – As the Kingdom prepares to host the Local Government Conference, the days leading up to the summit have been filled with site visits, ribbon cuttings, and powerful stories of grassroots transformation.
From the streets of Manzini to the heart of Luve, international delegates from Zambia, Ghana, Kenya, and North African states have witnessed firsthand how local leadership and community action are reshaping Eswatini’s development story.
CLASSROOMS OF HOPE IN FAIRVIEW
The week kicked off in style with the unveiling of a double-storey block of six classrooms at Hillside Primary School, built through the Rural Development Fund (RDF) under the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development.
Minister Sikhumbuzo Dlamini, flanked by delegates and education officials, shared how the fund, a brainchild of His Majesty King Mswati III, continues to transform communities by investing where it matters most: in the future of the nation’s children.
“This is just the beginning,” the Minister said. “More classroom blocks are coming. Our vision is big, and it’s backed by action.”
Manzini Regional Administrator Prince Chief Gija officially welcomed the guests, noting that such projects were tangible proof of people-centred governance.
Kenya’s Governor Dr. Francis Irungu Kang’ata was visibly impressed by the progress. He commended Eswatini for its clean cities and the country’s commitment to land ownership. After delivering his remarks, he officially launched the classroom block and toured it alongside Regional Secretary Arnold Dlamini, who detailed the school’s transformation.
Minister Dlamini also took a moment to address an urgent national concern, calling on communities to protect children amid rising reports of child killings. He encouraged learners to travel in groups and urged parents and teachers to remain vigilant.
MBELLS HARDWARE: WHEN WOMEN LEAD, COMMUNITIES RISE
In Luve, under Mkhiweni Inkhundla, the focus shifted to business, and the spotlight belonged to Mbells Hardware, a
Started in 2021 with funding from the RDF, Mbells has already pulled in over E5 million in sales and E1 million in profit, according to Chairperson Khanyisile Dludlu-Dlamini. The women-run business has created jobs and sparked local pride, and now has its sights set on expanding across Eswatini.
“All we need is a truck to help us grow,” Dludlu-Dlamini told the visiting delegates and ministry officials during a tour of the store.
Minister Dlamini described the venture as a powerful example of how RDF funding is changing lives, not just by creating infrastructure, but by fuelling enterprise, dignity, and independence.
A NATION LEADS BY EXAMPLE
The pre-conference tour has not only shown progress, it has left international experts inspired.
After visiting the Lobamba Inkhundla Service Centre and Subregional Offices at Siphofaneni, delegates described Eswatini’s service delivery model as effective and people-focused. “You are doing it better,” one international official remarked.
All roads now lead to Esibayeni Lodge in Matsapha, where the Local Government Conference 2025 officially kicks off on Wednesday. And if the past two days are anything to go by, Eswatini isn’t just hosting the conversation, it’s leading it.
