King Mswati, Stem Holdings and the multi-billion political dagga cold war

Dagga farmers don’t want the industry to be captured by white monopoly capitalism
Swaziland News (eSwatini)
Saturday, August 1, 2020

King MswatiKing Mswati allegedly entered into a deal with Stem Holdings and manipulated provisions of the Prevention of Organized Crime Act (POCA) by unleashing police officers on dagga farmers after Parliament refused to approve the Cannabis Bill, threatening the now controversial project. Around 2018 in the midst of escalating calls to legalize dagga, local and international companies applied for a cannabis license through the Ministry of Health but Stem Holdings allegedly approached royalty through the then Minister of Economic Planning and Development Prince Sihlangusemphi, a brother to the king later appointed into a position in the army equivalent to that of Minister of Defense. (See also: MP ‘Magawugawu’ on police surveillance, faces arrest over sentiments threatening King’s dagga deals)