BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Ezulwini is one of the most important places in Eswatini, His Majesty King Mswati III has said.
The King lectured about the importance of Ezulwini on Friday during the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE) and the sod-cutting exercise, marking the beginning of the construction of the CBE complex, to be situated in Ezulwini. The complex will cost E1 billion and is set to be constructed IN seven years.
Speaking about the importance of Ezulwini, His Majesty the King stated that the CBE would now be situated in a place that was important in the history of Eswatini. He said the name of the place itself had a great significance. The King told the attendants of the event that Ezulwini meant ‘Heaven’ and such a place was synonymous with peace and beauty. He said this was what he also told the people from outside Eswatini.
However, the King said this ‘Heaven’ was different because its visitors were able to go back to wherever they came from, as opposed to the real Heaven, where people who went there were not able to return to their places of origin. The King reminded the attendants that Ezulwini was a place where an important international decision was taken, which was later known as the Ezulwini Consensus.
The King stated that the Ezulwini Consensus was a decision reached in March 2005 by African states, which had met in Ezulwini and decided to call for their permanent inclusion in the United Nations (UN) Security Council. In other words, the Ezulwini Consensus calls for a more representative and democratic Security Council, in which Africa, like all other world regions, is represented.
His Majesty stated that as African leaders, they were going to continue to call for African countries to have permanent seats in the Security Council. The King congratulated the CBE for taking a decision to be in a place where such an important decision was taken.
Ezulwini is one of Eswatini’s urban areas that is developing at a fast pace. Ezulwini is known for housing the country’s best hotels, such as Royal Villas, Happy Valley and others. The country’s biggest hotel (the ICC FISH) is currently under construction in Ezulwini. Many important companies have also moved to build their headquarters to Ezulwini in recent years.
These include MTN Eswatini, Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS), First National Bank (FNB), Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM), and Ezulwini Private Clinic. Ezulwini also has shopping complexes such as the Corner Plaza and The Gables, where people usually get memorable shopping experiences.
