Swazi Media Commentary

Friday, 13 February 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 914 – 13 February 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 914 – 13 February 2026

News from and about Swaziland, compiled by Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk) in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com), and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge. The newsletter and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary blogsite.

War of words after eSwatini king hosts ex-Madagascar leader

By AFP, 9 February 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Eswatini hit back on Monday at a furious response from Madagascar to King Mswati III’s hosting of deposed president Andry Rajoelina on an official visit, calling it a “misguided” attack.

The Times of Eswatini carried pictures of the king shaking hands with Rajoelina on Friday in a report that cited the monarch as saying the former leader’s ouster in October was “unconstitutional”.

It appeared to be the first time that Rajoelina was photographed at an official event since he fled the Indian Ocean island after a military unit broke ranks and sided with a weeks-long protest movement in which several people were killed.

The Times of Eswatini reported that the king had consulted with the SADC regional bloc before the meeting and afterwards “called upon all law enforcement agencies in Madagascar to restore constitutional normalcy immediately”.

In response, Madagascar’s interim authority led by Colonel Michael Randrianirina voiced its “strongest condemnation” of the official meeting.

“This situation is of particular gravity in so far as the individual concerned was serving as Head of State during the tragic events of September and October 2025, which claimed the lives of approximately 30 Malagasy citizens,” it said in a statement on social media.

The king’s office responded that Rajoelina had sought “intervention” from Mswati in his capacity as deputy chairman of the Southern African Development Community ( SADC ) politics and defence cooperation body.

He had not been seeking “protection or intervention” from the kingdom, said director of communication Percy Simelane.

The SADC politics organ is calling for constitutional reform in Madagascar and “not a survival of the fittest state of affairs” in which an army unit is in control, he said.

“The attack on the people of Eswatini is therefore misguided and unfortunate,” he added.
The SADC in December directed the Madagascar authorities to submit by February 28 their roadmap towards a restoration of democracy, including fresh elections.

Randrianirina has pledged to call new elections within two years of the revolt.

Rajoelina fled to a secret location with the help of French forces after Randrianirina’s CAPSAT army unit announced its support for protesters on October 14.

He was impeached by parliament, leading CAPSAT to declare it had taken power.

King Mswati III (R) with the President of the Republic of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina. (Picture from Times of eSwatini)

See also

King demands restoration of constitutional order in Madagascar (Times of eSwatini)

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=King+demands+restoration+of+constitutional+order+in+Madagascar&yiphi=2819&bvhdgsj=News

eSwatini: Student activist jailed under terrorism law: Menzi Bongeka Bhembe

Amnesty International call for urgent action, 9 February 2026

SOURCE

Menzi Bongeka Bhembe, a 26-year-old university student and activist, was arrested on 16 January 2024 and charged under Eswatini’s 2008 Suppression of Terrorism Act. He has been held in arbitrary detention for over two years in violation of due process guarantees, in what appears to be a politically motivated attempt to suppress student activism. Eswatini authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Menzi Bongeka Bhembe and drop all charges against him as he is detained solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights.

eSwatini ranks among Africa’s most obese nations

By Sabelo Majola, Times of eSwatini, 10 February 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Eswatini’s position among the top African countries with the highest percentage of adults classified as obese has drawn renewed attention to a growing, but often under-discussed public-health challenge.

Obesity is a chronic, complex disease characterised by excessive body fat accumulation resulting from caloric intake exceeding energy expenditure.

With an estimated 15.62 per cent of adults living with obesity (BMI ≥30), the country ranks fourth on the continent, behind only Egypt, Libya and Algeria. While the ranking may appear surprising at first glance, health experts say it reflects broader structural changes affecting many Southern African countries.

According to the report, obesity in Eswatini is not simply the result of individual lifestyle choices, but it is the outcome of a complex mix of economic, social and demographic transitions that have reshaped how people eat, work and live over the past three decades.

One of the most significant drivers is what has been referred to as the ‘nutrition transition’.

As countries modernise and urbanise, diets typically shift away from traditional foods such as whole grains, legumes and locally produced vegetables towards highly processed, energy-dense foods rich in fats, sugar and salt. These foods are often cheaper, more accessible and aggressively marketed, particularly in urban areas. In Eswatini, rapid retail expansion, growing fast-food availability and cross-border food supply chains, especially from neighbouring South Africa, have accelerated this dietary transformation.

Combined with declining levels of physical activity, this shift has created an environment where weight gain becomes increasingly common across all income groups.

Urbanisation has also played a major role. As more citizens move into towns and cities or take up employment in service-sector and office-based jobs, daily physical exertion declines sharply compared to traditional agricultural or manual labour occupations.

It was also revealed that increased reliance on motorised transport, longer commuting times and more screen-based lifestyles further reduce physical activity.

Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te to attend King Mswati’s forty (40) years on the Throne and Birthday double celebration, to spend over R50million public funds

By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 9 February 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: William Lai Ching-te, the Taiwan President, is highly expected to visit Eswatini for the upcoming King Mswati’s forty (40) years on the Throne and fifty eighth (58th) Birthday double celebration.

King Mswati will turn 58 years on the 19th April 2026 but the date for the celebration is yet to be confirmed by the King through Home Affairs Minister Princess Lindiwe.

It has been disclosed that, the event will cost over R50million public funds and on Monday this week, a logo for the double celebration was unveiled by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Efforts to reach King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

But Wandile Dludlu, the Deputy President of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) said, Taiwan will be documented as part of those who joined King Mswati in the stealing of public funds for the hosting of such extravagant events.

“We are clear about Mswati but we will keep a strict record of all those who are joining him in the stealing of the future of our children as emaSwati,” said the PUDEMO Deputy President.

See also

King Mswati’s Spokesperson defends Monarch’s alleged upcoming extravagant forty (40) years on the Throne celebration, says event to reflect on development while identifying areas for improvement (Swaziland News)

http://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=11312

Three months later: e25m emergency medical tender delivers nothing

By Sibusiso Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 8 February 2026

SOURCE

Over three months after government approved a single‑source E25 million emergency tender to prevent shortages of critical medical supplies over the festive period, not a single item has been delivered into the public health system.

Sources at Central Medical Stores (CMS) confirmed yesterday that, as of this week, none of the suppliers linked to the emergency contract have successfully delivered approved stock.

The confirmation means the tender, justified in November as a life‑saving intervention to cushion hospitals during manufacturers’ shutdowns, had failed entirely in its stated objective.

The revelation deepens questions around the use of emergency procurement in the health sector and places renewed scrutiny on the ministry of health’s decision to bypass competitive processes in favour of a single supplier, Pride Oasis (Pty) Ltd.

According to CMS officials familiar with stock receipting and inspection procedures, no consignments linked to the E25 million emergency tender have passed verification or been accepted into inventory since the contract was approved by the Government Tender Board on November 5, 2025.

The emergency tender was authorised at the height of concerns that public hospitals would face shortages of essential theatre consumables during the festive season, a period when many international manufacturers close and supply chains slow.

At the time, the ministry of health argued that delays associated with competitive procurement would expose patients to unacceptable risk, necessitating immediate action.

Principal Secretary Khanya Mabuzasa described the tender as a life‑saving measure, stating that the nature of theatre supplies required certainty of availability and speed.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/three-months-later-e25m-emergency-medical-tender-delivers-nothing/

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

Find us:

Blog: https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/142383985790674

Friday, 6 February 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 913 – 6 February 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 913 – 6 February 2026

150 rape cases stalled amid magistrate shortage

By Bongumusa Simelane, eSwatini Observer, 2 February 2026

SOURCE

Over 150 rape cases have been stalled at the Pigg’s Peak Magistrates Court following the non-appointment of a principal magistrate.

This has seen a delay in survivors getting justice. Most of these cases were committed last year up until now.

When including those of previous years, the number is possibly higher given the fact that a few years ago there was a directive that all rape cases be presided over at the High Court, until recently when another order was made by the Chief Justice to take back all the rape cases to Magistrates Courts.

The northern Hhohho Region recorded relatively higher rape cases. From January last year until January this year, over 150 cases of rape were reported to the police. Pigg’s Peak police alone attended to over 100 cases, followed by Buhleni and Mliba police posts.

This has seen all these cases being postponed without a trial date set, as that could only be done when there is a principal magistrate who can preside over such matters.

It should be noted that Pigg’s Peak Principal Magistrate Siphosini Dlamini retired at the end of February last year.

Since then, all rape cases and armed robbery cases have not been tried or do not have a trial date.

Pigg’s Peak has only one magistrate, Nkosingiphile Maseko, who is junior to preside over such cases. In addition, Senior Magistrate Sindisile Zwane is provisionally available only on Wednesdays in Pigg’s Peak.

She also cannot preside over rape cases.

Some survivors who spoke to this publication said they had lost hope with the way things are going.

“We are losing confidence in the justice system.”

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/150-rape-cases-stalled-amid-magistrate-shortage/

Rights group raises concerns over eSwatini Education Minister’s comments on LGBTI students

Aaryaa Shinge, Jurist News, 2 February 2026

SOURCE

Amnesty International has warned that recent remarks by Eswatini’s education minister opposing LGBTI inclusion in schools risk encouraging discrimination and abuse against students belonging to the community. Amnesty said the statements could legitimize stigma within educational institutions and undermine the country’s obligations to protect students from discrimination and violence.

The minister publicly rejected calls to recognize or protect LGBTI students in schools, asserting that such recognition would conflict with Eswatini’s cultural values. Same-sex sexual conduct between men remains criminalized in Eswatini under colonial-era laws, punishable by imprisonment. Legal advocacy groups have documented that these laws contribute to a climate of fear and social exclusion for LGBTI people, especially for young people in schools, by reinforcing negative stereotypes and discouraging victims from reporting abuse.

Eswatini has legal and constitutional commitments to ensure equality and dignity for all people. The country’s Constitution guarantees equality before the law and freedom from discrimination, and that these protections extend to all learners regardless of status or identity. International human rights law also requires states to provide education in an environment free from discrimination and violence, including discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Eswatini has also ratified several international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which obliges states to respect and ensure rights without discrimination and to protect individuals from advocacy of hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination or hostility. Public officials have a responsibility to avoid making statements that could contribute to discrimination, hostility, or other forms of harm, particularly against already marginalized groups.

In response, Amnesty International urged authorities to publicly affirm that discrimination and bullying in schools will not be tolerated, issue clear guidance, provide training for educators on equality and non-discrimination, and ensure that all learners are able to access education in a safe and inclusive environment.

See also

Anti-LGBTI comments by eSwatini education minister risk fostering bias in schools (Funds for NGOs)

https://news.fundsforngos.org/2026/02/02/anti-lgbti-comments-by-eswatini-education-minister-risk-fostering-bias-in-schools/

Diplomats urge Minister Owen to retract gays statement (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/diplomats-urge-minister-owen-to-retract-gays-statement/

60% of female tertiary students in eSwatini survivors of gender-based violence

By Kwanele Sibiya, eSwatini Observer, 2 February 2026

SOURCE

About 60% of female students in local universities and colleges experienced sexual assault or there was an attempt to violate them, a research conducted by UNESWA has confirmed.

This was revealed by the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Justice Thwala during One Billion Rising Eswatini 2026 Festival on ending Gender-Based Violence (GBV) held at UNESWA, Kwaluseni Campus on Saturday.

The festival was held under the theme ‘Rising for Our Bodies, Our Earth, Our Future.’

“Research conducted at UNESWA confirms that approximately 60% of female students in local universities and colleges report experiencing attempted or completed sexual assault in their lifetime,” Thwala said.

He said according to the research, nearly 38% of the female students experienced sexual violence within a single year and that over 90% of perpetrators were known to the survivor as they were partners, friends or acquaintances.

He said the statistics also indicated that many survivors never reported the abuse, often due to fear, stigma or lack of trust in systems.

The VC mentioned that further studies led by the deputy prime minister’s office, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), confirmed that GBV in the country was driven by unequal power relations and patriarchal norms, harmful socialisation of youth, alcohol and substance abuse, economic stress and unemployment, weak community accountability, and a culture of silence.

He said these drivers were magnified in youth spaces, including universities and therefore sustained, youth-focused action was not optional.

“Universities are not just places of learning; they are training grounds for future leaders, parents, professionals and policy makers. If we change how young people understand consent, power and respect today, we change the country tomorrow,” he said.

Youth dancing to gospel music dished out by award-winning gospel artist Nothando Hlophe

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/60-of-female-tertiary-students-in-eswatini-survivors-of-gender-based-violence/

See also

Call for unity, purpose in ending GBV (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/call-for-unity-purpose-in-ending-gbv/

Human Rights Watch: World Report. eSwatini events of 2025

SOURCE

In 2025, civic space and the rule of law remained under threat in Eswatini. Impunity for human rights violations is still entrenched, and the authorities have yet to hold anyone accountable for the June 2021 crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators. They have failed to apprehend the killers of Thulani Maseko, human rights lawyer and opposition activist, who was shot in January 2023. The rights of women and girls continue to be a concern as gender-based violence persisted, with rape on the increase.

Civil and Political Rights

Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, continues to ban political parties and severely restrict civil rights. The country scored 17 out of 100 in Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2025 report. It got 1 out of 40 on political freedoms and 16 out of 60 for civil liberties. As in past years, the report concluded that Eswatini is “not free.” The CIVICUS civic space monitor classifies Eswatini as a closed space.

If passed into law in its current form, the 2024 Non-Profit Organizations (NPO) Bill would further shrink civil space. It includes onerous registration, monitoring, inspection, and reporting requirements for non-profit organizations.

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) visited Eswatini in July 2025 at the invitation of the government. They found that the Public Order Act of 2017, the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008, and the Sedition and Subversive Act of 1938 are routinely weaponized by the state to suppress dissenting voices and curtail freedoms of expression, assembly, and association.

Conduct of Security Forces

The authorities have not held anyone to account for the security forces’ crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 2021. During these protests, the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) and the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) shot indiscriminately at protesters and passers-by with live ammunition, teargas, and rubber bullets. They also physically assaulted people, killed scores of protesters and injured hundreds more, including children.

Rule of Law

Nearly three years after the killing of Thulani Maseko on January 21, 2023, his killers have yet to be apprehended. Civil society, regional, and international actors pressed the government to investigate the case. But Maseko’s widow, Tanele Maseko, confirmed that she has not heard from the police, despite numerous inquiries. Thulani Maseko was fatally shot at home, in front of his wife and two children, hours after King Mswati III publicly warned those calling for democratic reforms that mercenaries would deal with them.

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in a 2025 report on the independence of judges and lawyers noted that Maseko’s killing had a “devastating effect on the independence of lawyers in Eswatini and their ability to practice without fear of threat or reprisals.” The ICJ also noted that lawyers are inhibited from acting independently and “face adverse economic consequences for taking on cases or clients perceived as political.” This includes cases associated with the June 2021 unrest.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2026/country-chapters/eswatini

eSwatini court throws out challenge to deal on US deportees

By Lunga Masuku, Reuters, 4 February 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Eswatini’s high court has thrown out a case filed by human rights lawyers and activists that challenged the government's deal with the United States to accept third-country deportees.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has sent at least 15 third-country deportees to Eswatini since last July, as part of its crackdown on illegal immigration. The small southern African country received $5.1 million as part of the deal.

The applicants in the case, led by the Eswatini Litigation Centre, had claimed that the agreement was unconstitutional because it was not submitted to parliament for approval and the terms were not disclosed.

Three judges dismissed the case on the primary grounds that the applicants did not have a direct interest in the matter and therefore did not have the right to bring it to court, according to a copy of the judgment delivered on Tuesday.

They also raised other issues, such as the fact that the applicants could not produce a copy of the agreement they were challenging.

“We are told to respect the law, yet we watch powerful actors sidestep the constitution,” the Swaziland Rural Women's Assembly, one of the applicants, said in a statement.

“(This case) is about whether people in Eswatini have the right to challenge their government's decisions.”

Eswatini’s attorney general told Reuters last year that the case had no legal basis and was “frivolous”.

Eswatini is an absolute monarchy ruled by King Mswati III. Although its courts are independent in theory, Mswati gets the final say on all appointments of senior judges. Rights groups and legal experts say judicial independence is susceptible to interference from the king and his executive.

Eswatini is one of several African countries that have made secretive deals with the Trump administration to accept deportees.

Those sent to Eswatini have included nationals of Vietnam, Cuba, Laos, and Yemen. They are being held in prison, except for one who was repatriated to Jamaica.

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

Find us:

Blog: https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/142383985790674

Friday, 30 January 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 912 – 30 January 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 912 – 30 January 2026

Govt breaching UN children’s rights convention - Parents

Sunday Observer (eSwatini) Press Reader edition, 25 January 2026

Parents have joined the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) in condemning government’s handling of sweeping education reforms.

They warned that the rushed rollout of Competency-Based Education (CBE) and a new four-year secondary school programme amounts to poor governance and is a breach of an international children’s rights convention.

Eswatini Schools Committee and Parents Association (ESCAPA) President Cedric Chirwa said the association fully agrees with the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) that the ministry of education and training was pressing ahead with reforms without proper consultation, adequate preparation or transparency, despite schools opening on Tuesday.

Chirwa said parents were neither consulted nor given access to reports evaluating pilot programmes, leaving them in the dark about what kind of education their children will receive. “We agree with SNAT and it is even more alarming that parents have also not been engaged,” Chirwa said.

“We have not seen any report on CBE or on the four-year programme. Parents do not know what education will be taught to their children, and teachers themselves are confused. That is a worrying state of affairs as schools open,” he added. The criticism comes as government prepares to introduce CBE across secondary schools and restructure the system into a single four-year cycle covering Grades 8 to 11.

The ministry says the reforms will prioritise practical skills, creativity and mastery of competencies, while moving away from traditional exam rankings and introducing new subjects such as music, dance, fine art and drama.

Chirwa said the manner in which the reforms are being imposed may place Eswatini in breach of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which the country is a signatory.

“Article 29 of the Convention defines the aims of education and also recognises the liberty of parents to choose the kind of education they want to give to their children,” he said.

“By not consulting parents and other stakeholders, and by withholding key reports, government is going against that convention,” he added. While careful to avoid inciting language, ESCAPA warned that sidelining parents risks deepening mistrust and entrenching divisions around education policy.

“This is dangerous because it creates a situation where one party sees itself as always right and the other as opposition. That is not what we want. We want to move together, to speak openly about how to improve the system and agree on the way forward,” he stated.

He cautioned that without transparency and shared ownership, failed reforms could degenerate into blame-shifting rather than accountability.

“If it fails, people will point fingers, and others will defend decisions even when they know things were done wrongly, simply for the sake of defending,” he said.

At the core of parents’ frustration, according to him, is the absence of publicly available reports on the performance of CBE at primary school level and on the pilot of the four-year secondary programme conducted in selected schools last year.

Without these, ESCAPA argues, there is no evidence base for scaling the reforms nationwide.

“These reports should have been available not only to parents, but also to the media, so they could be interpreted and explained to the wider public,” Chirwa said.

Three years on, justice denied for assassinated eSwatini human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko as Amnesty International demands independent investigation

By Abigail Jele, Swaziland News, 28 January 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: It’s been three solid years since the assassination of Thulani Maseko, a highly respected human rights lawyer who was shot dead at his home on 21 January 2023 in Eswatini.

Three years on, no one has been held accountable for his killing, his assassination sent shockwaves across the country, the region, and the international human rights community, and remains a stark reminder of the risks faced by those who defend human rights in Eswatini.

As demands for justice continue, Amnesty International has raised serious concerns about the slow pace and lack of transparency surrounding investigations into his death.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News, Amnesty International Southern Africa Coordinator stated that, even though the motive behind Maseko’s assassination “remains unclear”, they strongly believe he was murdered for defending human rights.

“Although the motive behind his killing remains unclear, Amnesty International has reason to believe that Thulani Maseko was murdered in connection with his work as a human rights defender and lawyer. Amnesty International is concerned that the search for those responsible for his violent death is dragging on, despite longstanding calls from civil society organizations, governments and intergovernmental organizations for an independent investigation into his murder.

Amnesty International calls on King Mswati III. to promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigate the unlawful killing of Thulani Maseko and to bring any responsible individuals to justice in a fair trial. Amnesty International also urges that Thulani Maseko’s family be granted access to justice and effective legal remedies. They must also be protected from intimidation”, said the Amnesty International Coordinator.

Three years after his killing, justice for Thulani Maseko remains elusive and continued absence of accountability not only deepens the pain of his family but also entrenches a culture of impunity that places all human rights defenders at risk.

‘Expel them’: eSwatini minister sparks alarm with anti-LGBTQ school rhetoric

By Luiz De Barros, Mamba Online, 28 January 2026

SOURCE

LGBTQ+ young people have come under attack in Eswatini after the country’s Education Minister called for queer school pupils to be expelled, comparing them to gangsters.

According to local media, Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo made the troubling remarks on Tuesday while visiting schools in the capital, Mbabane, to mark the start of the academic year.

Nxumalo claimed that learners in the southern African nation were being “coerced” into what he described as “unacceptable behaviour”, including gangsterism and homosexuality.

He told scholars and staff that same-sex relationships had no place in schools because they conflicted with religious beliefs and cultural traditions.

“We do not know where these practices come from, and we rebuke them in the name of Jesus,” Nxumalo was quoted as saying. “One fails to understand why a girl would convince another girl to fall in love with her.”

The minister added, “I will not tolerate any issues that come with homosexual relationships in our schools,” and vowed to personally ensure that any pupils involved in such relationships were expelled.

Nxumalo reportedly also praised US President Donald Trump’s stance on the LGBTQ+ community, describing it as the correct position to take.

LGBTIQ+ advocacy group Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM) expressed its “deep concern” about the minister’s statements, noting that the Constitution guarantees equality and that every Swazi child has the right to education.

“Expelling learners on the basis of real or perceived sexual orientation or gender expression directly undermines these constitutional and statutory protections,” ESGM said in a statement.

“Such actions risk denying children their right to education, exposing them to stigma, violence, and long-term harm.”

The group stressed that “sexual orientation and gender identity are not misconduct” and said that “schools have a duty to address behaviour in a manner that is lawful, non-discriminatory, and consistent with child protection principles, not through exclusion or fear.”

ESGM called on the Ministry of Education and Training to ensure that schools are safe and inclusive environments for all learners, and to stop making statements that encourage discrimination, bullying or the exclusion of vulnerable children.

Eswatini remains one of the world’s last absolute monarchies and has a poor record on human rights. Although not actively enforced, men “suspected” of sodomy can be arrested without a warrant under the Criminal Procedure Act of 1938.

ESGM has been engaged in a years-long legal battle to overturn the government’s refusal, despite a court order, to register the organisation as an official entity.

See also

Minister’s same-sex relationships statement: Minister must retract – CANGO (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/ministers-same-sex-relationships-statement-minister-must-retract-cango/

15 minors raped in just 25 days

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 26 January 2026

SOURCE

At least 15 children under the age of 18 have been raped since the beginning of the year.

These statistics are according to cases that were officially reported to the police across the country.

The latest case was reported in Mankayane on January 21, where a four-year-old girl was raped allegedly by her 18-year-old neighbour. The incident happened at Nhlotjeni in December.

Sources close to the matter said the four-year-old and other minors usually went to the 18-year-old man’s home to play.

All seemed normal until early last week when the four-year-old girl’s mother overheard some children older than her daughter discussing what the teenager did to them when they went to play at his home.

Surprised, the mother is said to have then called her daughter aside and asked her what happened to them when they were playing at the neighbour’s home.

“The girl narrated that they were violated by the 18-year-old. Her mother reported the matter to the police, while parents and guardians of the rest of the children said they were still to discuss the matter,” said a source.

The suspect has not been arrested yet, as confirmed by Acting Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Mazwi Ndzimandze.

This case is at least the 15th to be reported to the police this month.

The cases reportedly happened in various areas in all four regions of the country.

The Lubombo region leads with six cases, followed by the Manzini and Hhohho regions with four cases each.

Only one case has so far been reported in the Shiselweni region.

More than half of the survivors of abuse are under 14 years, while at least four are aged 10 or below, indicating extreme vulnerability among younger children.

In the majority of the cases, the alleged perpetrators are known to the victims, including relatives such as uncles, cousins, stepfathers, neighbours, and boyfriends.

This points to abuse occurring largely within trusted environments such as homes, family settings and neighbourhoods, as previously articulated by SWAGAA in its latest report (December 2025).

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/15-minors-raped-in-just-25-days/

The King’s Imbasha: How royal patronage is bankrupting the State

Opinion by Velaphi Mamba, Swaziland News, 25 January 2026

SOURCE

King Mswati III has long relied on cultural nationalism as a substitute for democratic legitimacy.

Culture, in his hands, is not simply heritage but a governing technology that is employed to manufacture obedience, suppress dissent, and convert public resources into royal loyalty.

Under the banner of tradition, state power is reproduced not through accountable institutions but through ritual, spectacle, and increasingly, cash incentives meant to buttress a patronage system that has now bankrupted the country.

It is within this context that the practice of imbasha must be understood. Following the weeding of the King’s fields after the Incwala ceremony, regiments are paid a cash stipend, framed as cultural appreciation and a symbol of the king’s benevolence.

This year alone, the reported cost of imbasha reached a staggering E45 million. At E1,000 per regiment member, this implies that roughly 45,000 people will be paid representing only 3.75% of Eswatini’s population of approximately 1.2 million. Fewer than four out of every hundred emaSwati will receive this benefit, while the remaining 96% are excluded, many facing chronic unemployment, food insecurity, and failing public services.

It is important to also highlight the fact that imbasha is paid to men and boys only, who are the ones that culturally weed the king’s fields. The gender dimensions of the matter should therefore not go unnoticed.

The imbasha stipend is not a marginal expense nor a once-off gesture. If imbasha continues at E45 million per year and the 45 000 regiments’ figure remains constant, the state will have spent E450 million over a decade buying loyalty from a narrow segment of society. Nearly half a billion Emalangeni will have been transferred not through developmental programmes or social protection, but through a patronage system designed to reward ritual compliance and entrench royal hegemony.

This is not a sustainable national redistributive program but selective appeasement, financed by a state already massively failing to meet its most basic obligations. The swelling numbers to weed the king’s fields are not a sign of the people’s love of culture and the king.

They are emblematic of the economic desperation of the masses.

Worse still, the imbasha system is riddled with corruption and opacity. The money does not reach regiment members through transparent, auditable payment mechanisms. Instead, it is channelled through layers of traditional leadership – tindvuna and royal structures where discretion replaces accountability.

This creates fertile ground for skimming, favouritism, and exclusion. Numerous accounts indicate that not all regiments receive the full E1,000, while others receive nothing at all, depending on their proximity to power. Portions of the E45 million vanish before reaching the intended recipients, shrinking even further the already tiny share of emaSwati who benefit.

The absence of beneficiary registers, payment trails, independent audits, or parliamentary oversight means that tens of millions of Emalangeni are being moved annually in ways that offend basic principles of public finance management and potentially violate anti–money laundering laws. In any functioning state, such cash-heavy, politically controlled disbursements would trigger an investigation.

In Eswatini, they are normalized and we are witnessing money laundering by the king in plain sight. This is egregious exercise of public finances and needs to be revisited.

King Mswati (centre) during the end of 2025-2026 Incwala ceremony

To read more of this commentary, click here

http://www.swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=11208

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

Find us:

Blog: https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/142383985790674

Search This Blog

Friday, 13 February 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 914 – 13 February 2026

Friday, 6 February 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 913 – 6 February 2026

Friday, 30 January 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 912 – 30 January 2026