UEDF Leads Nation in Honouring Fallen Servicemen on Ex-Servicemen Remembrance Day

The Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) led a remembrance ceremony at Nokwane Army Headquarters in Matsapha to honour servicemen who died in military service. The event was attended by high-ranking government officials, security force chiefs, diplomats, former military personnel, and other dignitaries. The ceremony was held to commemorate the 2026 Ex-Servicemen Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day.

The annual commemoration, traditionally observed on November 11, brought together an array of notable attendees. National Commissioner of Police Vusi Manoma Masango, former police commissioners Edgar Hillary and Senator Isaac Magagula, UEDF Commander General Mashikilisana Hulumende Fakudze, and Chief Fire Officer Luke Lushaba were among those in attendance. Liqoqo Chairman Paul Dlamini represented His Majesty King Mswati III, while Deputy Prime Minister Thuli Dladla represented Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini.

The solemn occasion was attended by members of the country's three security forces: the Eswatini Royal Police Service (REPS), His Majesty's Correctional Services (HMCS), and the UEDF. They joined in to pay homage to the fallen servicemen. A major highlight of the ceremony was the laying of flowers at the cenotaph, a symbolic monument erected in remembrance of those who died in military service.

The ceremony also featured a military parade involving members of the UEDF and other security formations. This demonstrated the unity and discipline of the country's security forces. A prayer was said in honour of the fallen servicemen, followed by the singing of the national anthem. A ceremonial gunshot was fired as part of the commemoration, symbolically recalling the final moments of World War I.

The event was further graced by members of the diplomatic corps. Taiwan's Ambassador to Eswatini Tsui Ching-lin, British High Commissioner Colin Neil Wells, and South African High Commissioner Mmaikeletsi Dube were in attendance. Armistice Day traces its origins to November 11, 1918, when an agreement between the Allied Powers and Germany brought an end to hostilities during World War I.

This year's commemoration carried added significance for the country as it observed Remembrance Day without a surviving World War II veteran for the second time. This followed the death of its last known surviving veteran, Philip Matanyatanya Nganekwane Matsebula, on April 14, 2025, at the age of 113. His passing marked the end of an era in the country's military history.

As the country continues to observe Remembrance Day, the absence of its last surviving World War II veteran serves as a poignant reminder that while those who witnessed the horrors of war may no longer be with us, their sacrifices remain etched in the nation's history. The nation must now preserve the memories and sacrifices of those who served, ensuring that their contribution is not lost to history.

Key points

• The UEDF led a remembrance ceremony to honour servicemen who died in military service.
• The ceremony was attended by high-ranking government officials, security force chiefs, and diplomats.
• This year's commemoration was significant as it was observed without a surviving World War II veteran.