WikiLeaks has published a cable that alleges royal politic manoeuvring in the kingdom of Swaziland was behind MTN's country CEO losing his job in 2009.
The cable, published on Friday, is apparently a communication between the American Embassy in the kingdom's capital of Mbabane and the Washington-based secretary of state and the Pretoria-based US Embassy.
According to the leaked document: “Royal politics and King Mswati's business interests appear to have caused the ouster of Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) CEO Tebogo Mogapi.”
Mogapi is currently chief business sales and services officer at MTN Business.
Wikipedia says Mswati III, who was born Makhosetive Dlamini, in April 1968, is considered to be “one of the last absolute monarchs in the world, as he has the authority to appoint the country's prime minister, members of the Cabinet, and the judiciary”. Mswati succeeded his father, Sobhuza II, in 1986.
The cable also claims politics and Mswati's business interests “halted parastatal Swaziland Post and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC) from selling the MTN shares it owns to raise money for a next-generation network cellphone project”.
Royal decree
“The government's halt of parastatal SPTC's sale of MTN shares demonstrates the impact the king's and other influential individuals' private business interests can have on business transactions in Swaziland. Government officials would likely prefer a more malleable Swazi CEO at MTN who would cooperate more fully with royal and government wishes,” says the leaked report.
The cable, citing unnamed industry and press observers, alleges Mswati, who already owns shares in the cellular company, wanted to buy shares at a cheaper price than what the post corporation would have paid.
According to the leaked document, Swaziland government officials later stopped the share sale and have not renewed Mogapi's work permit. This was “apparently in retaliation for his role in the transaction, as well as the CEO's reported decision to oppose government efforts to use the MTN network for electronic surveillance on political dissidents”.
In April, Swazi MTN was accused of colluding with the Swazi royal family and limiting connectivity and access to Facebook Mobile during an uprising in which Swazi citizens took part in pro-democracy protests.
At the time, MTN said it remains politically impartial in all of its operations, including Swaziland. The company was not immediately available to comment this morning.
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