Swaziland police say they broke up a prayer meeting at the Manzini Cathedral because the congregation wanted to sabotage the kingdom’s forthcoming election.
Charles Tsabedze, the police Manzini Regional Commander,
said, ‘We heard that the prayer was aimed at strategizing logistics that will
be used to sabotage the national elections.’
About 60 armed police forced their way into the Our Lady
of Assumption cathedral yesterday (16 February 2013) while a prayer meeting was
taking place. They broke up the prayers giving the congregation seven minutes to
vacate the building.
The prayer was jointly organised by the Swaziland United
Democratic Front (SUDF) and the Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC). It had originally
been scheduled to take place at the Bosco Skills Centre in Manzini. The venue
was changed to the cathedral at the last minute after organisers realised the
police intended to block people entering Bosco.
Earlier in the week organisers in a public statement had said the prayer would be part of their campaign for a people’s government
and would call for a boycott of the national election in Swaziland later in the
year (2013).
Tsabedze told local media in Swaziland that prior to the
prayer meeting police met with organisers and told them that the event would
not be allowed to take place.
‘We told them that we would not allow the prayer to take
place at Bosco Skills Centre or any other place within Manzini,’ the Times Sunday reported him saying.
After the police broke up the meeting the organisers
issued a statement. ‘The prayer was aimed at launching our nationwide campaign
for a people`s government using peaceful means and in a language that every
Swazi understands; Religion.
‘The security forces were up in arms well before the date
for the prayer and intimidated and harassed the workers at the venue at which
the prayer was to be held. As such, we had to abandon the Bosco Skills Centre
at the last minute and try to find an alternative venue.
‘As early as 07.00hrs, the police were all over the town
of Manzini with a large concentration being around the Bosco Skills Centre,
Salesian and St. Theresa’s schools, Caritas and the Catholic Church; these
being in close proximity to each other.
‘Prodemocracy activists were turned away from the Bosco
Skills Centre and threateningly told to “go pray in their homes” and
patronisingly told that today is a Saturday and therefore not a day of worship.
‘The activists and the ordinary Swazi defiantly regrouped
under the leadership of the SUDF/SDC and proceeded to seek refuge at the
Catholic Church and they were welcomed and the Cathedral availed to them to
hold their prayer.
‘However, the police came swooping in and ensured that
this plan too was thwarted. The church was completely surrounded and invaded
and the police threatened everyone telling them to vacate “or else”.
‘Bishop Paul Verryna intervened with at least a closing prayer, but mid-way he was told his “time is up” and he should “shut up” and everyone was forcefully herded out of the church.’
‘Bishop Paul Verryna intervened with at least a closing prayer, but mid-way he was told his “time is up” and he should “shut up” and everyone was forcefully herded out of the church.’
Swaziland, which is ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan
Africa’s last absolute monarch, holds elections every five years. No political parties
are allowed to take part and ordinary Swazi people are only allowed to elect 55
of the 65 members of the House of Assembly: the rest are chosen by the king.
In the Senate, King Mswati chooses 20 of the 30 places.
The other 10 are chosen by members of the House of Assembly. None are elected
by the people. The king also chooses the prime minister and senior government ministers.
Parliament has no powers. In October 2012, the House of
Assembly passed a vote of no-confidence in the Prime Minister and cabinet. In
such circumstances the constitution requires the monarch to sack the government
(he has no discretion in the matter), but King Mswati ignored this and put
pressure on the House to re-run the vote, this time ensuring that it did not
have the required majority to pass. Members of the House did as they were told
and the government continued in office.
King Mswati has yet to announce the date of the election.
See also
POLICE BREAK UP DEMOCRACY PRAYERS
ELECTION WILL BE A FRAUD
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