Mbabane Swallows’ prospective investors from the Democratic Republic of Congo are reportedly demanding full control over the running of the club as part of the proposed takeover agreement.
The demand for complete operational authority is believed to have contributed to delays in finalising the investment deal, with uncertainty also affecting important club matters, including the renewal of players’ contracts ahead of the new season.
The capital city giants entered into an agreement with Jean-Michael Ruhanya on May 27, regarding the acquisition of the club. According to the proposal, the transaction was expected to be completed by the second week of June.
However, reports indicate that the Congolese investors have tabled several conditions, including a request to manage the club independently for a period of 10 years without interference from the current leadership. Mbabane Swallows were expected to respond in writing to the conditions presented by the investors before further discussions could take place.
A source close to the matter said the demands from the Congolese investor were considered steep.
“I am not sure what will eventually happen but I know the DR Congo investor wants to take control of the team for 10 years with full authority. That means there would be no interference from the current leadership,” the source said.
According to the source, the Swallows leadership is still assessing whether the proposal is viable or not.
“This is why there has not been any movement on the deal. It is not at a deadlock but there hasn’t been any progress either,” he said.
The source added that the uncertainty had also affected the club’s transfer and contract plans.
“This is also partly the reason why the team is not signing new deals with players at the moment because they do not know what will eventually happen. Let us wait and see what eventually happens. For now, nothing has been signed by either party.
“The Congolese investor wants a written and signed agreement guaranteeing them operational control for 10 years without any interference,” the source said.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the club’s Public Relations Officer Knowledge Ngwenya were unsuccessful. Club President Absalom ‘Mvana’ Ngwenya said he was unavailable to respond at the time as he was attending a lengthy meeting.
The red-and-white glamour side has been searching for investors since last season as the club continues its efforts to fix its financial standing.
In July 2025, Mbabane Swallows entered into a partnership with Mozambican investor Nicza Amade, but the arrangement later collapsed after expectations regarding financial support, including outstanding player salaries and other resource commitments, were not met.
The latest investment talks come at a crucial time for the club, which is hoping that a successful partnership will restore financial strength and help rebuild its competitive position in domestic football.
