YOUR MAJESTY THE INDLOVUKAZI,

EMAKHOSIKATI,

YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES,

ACTING PRIME MINISTER,

COUNCILLORS,

CHIEFS,

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER,

CHIEF JUSTICE,

CABINET MINISTERS,

EXCELLENCIES, MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,

PRESIDING OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE MANZINI REGION,

ARMY COMMANDER, USDF OFFICERS AND OTHER RANKS,

DEFENCE ATTACHES PRESENT HERE TODAY,

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

SIYANIVUSELA NONKHE BEKUNENE LAPHA ENOKWANE.

INTRODUCTION

WE ARE PLEASED TO JOIN THE UMBUTFO SWAZILAND DEFENCE FORCE (USDF) HERE AT NOKWANE TODAY TO COMMEMORATE THE 41ST YEAR SINCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED.

MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS ANNUAL EVENT WHICH BRINGS US TOGETHER TO WITNESS AND ENJOY THE DIFFERENT DRILLING DISPLAYS AND OTHER PERFORMANCES BY MEN AND WOMEN OF THE MILITARY.

WE ALSO WELCOME ALL OUR VISITORS WHO ARE IN THE COUNTRY TO COMMEMORATE THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASION WITH US. WE EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO THE PARENTS, RELATIVES AND LOVED ONES OF THE RECRUITS WHO WILL BE PASSING OUT TODAY. YOU HAVE MADE THE NATION PROUD BY PRODUCING SUCH YOUNG HARD WORKING MEN AND WOMEN.

SAFETY, SECURITY AND PEACE

AS WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY WE ARE REMINDED OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT OUR ARMED FORCES PLAY IN KEEPING THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY SAFE AND SECURE.

FROM THIS SAFETY WE ARE ABLE TO HARNESS THE REQUISITE PEACE WHICH CREATES A CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

A CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT IS, THEREFORE, A CULMINATION OF THE COMMITMENT BY MEN AND WOMEN WHO DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO SERVE AND TO PROTECT THEIR COUNTRY FOR THE GREATER BENEFIT OF ALL ITS CITIZENRY.

THIS IS WHAT MAKES TODAY'S EVENT AN IMPORTANT ONE – NOT JUST FOR THE NEW RECRUITS WHO ARE PASSING-OUT TODAY - BUT FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF ESWATINI.

NEW RECRUITS

FOR THE NEW RECRUITS, THE JOURNEY HAS, BY NO MEANS, BEEN AN EASY ONE. YOU HAVE HAD TO ENDURE RIGOROUS TRAINING EXERCISES IN ORDER TO REACH THIS STAGE.

YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO NEW SKILLS, ETHICS AND TENETS OF A GOOD SOLDIER, RESPECT, LOYALTY AND ALSO LEARNT OF THE PRIMARY DUTIES OF THE ARMY, AMONGST OTHER THINGS.

THE NATION CONGRATULATES YOU ALL FOR ATTAINING THIS MILESTONE AS TODAY YOU ARE GOING TO BE COMMISSIONED AS FULL MEMBERS OF THE UMBUTFO SWAZILAND DEFENCE FORCE.

YOU WILL SOON BE DISCHARGED TO DIFFERENT CAMPS AND WORK STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO EFFECT YOUR NEWLY ACQUIRED SKILLS.

COMMITMENT TO DUTY

MASOTJA, THE JOB YOU ARE DOING IS A CALLING THAT PLACES YOU ON DUTY 24/7.

THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER REQUIRES TOTAL COMMITMENT TO DUTY AND WE EXPECT NO LESS THAN UTMOST LOYALTY TO ALL OFFICIAL STRUCTURES OF THE STATE.

THE NATION REQUIRES YOU TO PERFORM YOUR DUTIES WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR. YOU MUST PUT ASIDE SELF INTEREST AND COMMIT YOURSELF TO MAKING THE SAFETY OF THIS COUNTRY YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS.

DO YOUR WORK WITH DILIGENCE, PRIDE, HONESTY AND RESPECT AS THIS WILL BRING HANDSOME DIVIDENDS TO YOUR MILITARY CAREER. AS YOU EXECUTE YOUR DUTIES ALWAYS REMEMBER THE OATH OF OFFICE YOU HAVE TAKEN HERE TODAY.

FOR GUIDANCE, LOOK TO THOSE BEFORE YOU WHOM WE PRAISE FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO DUTY, EVEN THROUGH ADVERSE WORKING CONDITIONS.

THESE ARE CONDITIONS YOU WILL NEED TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH, WHICH WILL PREPARE YOU FOR ANY ASSIGNMENT BOTH LOCALLY AND ABROAD.

A SOLDIER IS ALSO A PERSON WHO IS READY TO DEFEND AND PROTECT THE COUNTRY FROM ALL ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES; IT COULD BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, SMUGGLING OF GOODS, NARCOTICS, THEFT OF ITEMS SUCH AS CARS AND CATTLE, TO MENTION JUST A FEW.

NEVER GIVE IN TO THE TEMPTATION OF BRIBES TO ALLOW THESE CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES TO PERMEATE OUR PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT. IF YOU BRING THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION INTO DISREPUTE – THEN YOU ARE MISPLACED IN THE MILITARY.

PROTECTING KEY STRATEGIC NATIONAL AREAS IS ALSO PARAMOUNT TO YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES. THE SUCCESS OF THIS TASK LIES WITH THE INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER EXECUTING HIS OR HER PART BY APPLYING MAXIMUM EFFORT AT WORK.

ONE OF THE IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF A SOLDIER IS REMAINING IN GOOD PHYSICAL SHAPE. THE DRILLS YOU HAVE PERFORMED HERE TODAY HAVE BEEN EXECUTED VERY WELL BECAUSE OF THE GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION YOU ARE ALL IN. MAINTAIN THIS CONDITION AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF YOUR NEW RESPONSIBILITIES.

CO-OPERATION WITH SOLDIERS IN THE REGION

MASOTJA, WE ALSO WISH TO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD COOPERATION BETWEEN YOURSELVES AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY FORMATIONS ON THE CONTINENT AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

THE PRESENCE OF DEFENCE ATTACHES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES IN TODAY'S CEREMONY IS A CLEAR INDICATION THAT WE HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER FORCES, NOT ONLY IN THE REGION BUT GLOBALLY.

THIS CO-OPERATION IS PARAMOUNT AS OUR COUNTRY AND THE REGION NEED TO REMAIN PEACEFUL IN ORDER TO ATTRACT THE MUCH NEEDED FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT.

WHILST PEACE AND STABILITY STILL REMAIN ELUSIVE IN SOME PARTS OF OUR CONTINENT, WE HOPE THE AU WILL SET UP THE REQUIRED STRUCTURES THAT WILL ASSIST WHENEVER THERE IS A NEED TO DO SO ON THE CONTINENT AND WE MUST ALWAYS BE READY TO PLAY OUR PART.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS AND PARTNERS WHO HAVE PLAYED VARIOUS ROLES IN PROVIDING, TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL AND MATERIAL SUPPORT TO OUR ARMY.

PLEASE EXTEND OUR GRATITUDE TO YOUR GOVERNMENTS FOR THE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION THAT HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN DEVELOPING OUR ARMY TO WHAT IT IS TODAY.

PARTICIPATION IN CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

MASOTJA, THE NATION IS ALSO PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED YOUR LOVE FOR OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE.

YOUR PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION IN THE DIFFERENT CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGING. YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MIX DEFENCE ETHICS WITH CULTURE VERY WELL.

CONCLUSION

AS I CONCLUDE, THE NATION IS REMINDED THAT NATIONAL SECURITY IS NOT THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ARMED FORCES.

EACH OF US HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN SEEING TO IT THAT WE SUPPORT ALL MEASURES DESIGNED TO KEEP US SAFE FROM HARM IN A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT.

YOUR CO-OPERATION WITH THE ARMY IN THIS REGARD OVER THE YEARS IS HIGHLY APPRECIATED. WE HAVE WITNESSED THE MILITARY PROVIDING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE WHEN THE NEED ARISES. THE USDF HAS ALSO OPENED ITS HEALTH FACILITIES TO THE PUBLIC WHICH IS COMMENDABLE.

WE URGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO LIVE IN HARMONY FOR THE SAKE OF THE GREATER GOOD WHICH IS THE PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE KINGDOM OF ESWATINI.

ONCE AGAIN, WE WOULD LIKE TO APPLAUD ALL THE DAY'S ACTIVITIES AS A JOB WELL DONE. MAY WE THANK ALL THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATIONS TOWARDS MAKING THIS EVENT THE SUCCESS THAT IT HAS BEEN. WE HAVE ENJOYED THE EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES AND APPRECIATE ALL THE GIFTS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BEFORE US.

CHRISTENING

FROM TODAY, THE NEW BATTALION SHALL BE CALLED TINJOJELA.

I THANK YOU, MAY GOD BLESS US ALL.