High Court keeps widow provisionally at head of Eswatini church
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Times of Eswatini
The High Court of Eswatini has provisionally allowed Sibongile Dlamini, widow of the founder of the Faith Christian Fellowship Church, to remain its leader. Judge Mzwandile Fakudze suspended decisions by the Manzini court challenged by the church and its officials, according to the Times of Eswatini.
Eswatini’s High Court has provisionally reinstated Sibongile Dlamini as leader and general overseer of the Faith Christian Fellowship Church, founded by her late husband Jeremiah Dlamini. Judge Mzwandile Fakudze ordered on Friday a review and suspension of decisions made on 29 September and 27 October by Manzini magistrate Thamsanqa Ndlovu, reports the Times of Eswatini.
The application was filed by the church, Sibongile Dlamini and senior pastor Muzi Myeni, a former close associate of the founder. The High Court also asked Magistrate Ndlovu to submit to the registry the record of the proceedings brought before the Manzini court, registered under number 347/2026.
The dispute concerns the succession of Jeremiah Dlamini, who died on 10 July and was buried on 18 July 2026. According to the church administrator, Moses Nxumalo, the pastors decided on 28 July that Muzi Myeni would temporarily serve as pastor, before a resolution adopted on 12 September supported keeping Sibongile Dlamini at the head of the church. Founded around 1983 in Ekudzeni, it has about 14 branches in Eswatini and South Africa.
