An article I wrote for Swazi media Commentary detailing how much of the Swaziland national budget was going to the king was confiscated from journalist, trade unionist and human rights activist Manqoba Nxumalo when police raided his home and arrested him yesterday (22 June 2011).
Nxumalo reports that police said the article was ‘seditious’ and demanded to know who I was and where I could be found.
Of course, King Mswati doesn’t want his subjects to know that in February 2011 at the last budget he was given a 23 percent INCREASE in his budget when most government departments were forced to take 20 percent CUTS.
The king also doesn’t want it widely known that Forbes in 2009 estimated he had a personal fortune worth US$200 million (about E1.3 billion at present exchange rates).
But the police and other members of the state apparatus can’t keep this information from the Swazi people. The Nation, an independent monthly magazine in Swaziland has also published a number of articles in recent years about the cost of the Royal family and the lavish spending of King Mswati.
See also
HELD ACTIVIST ‘TARNISHED SWAZILAND’
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/06/held-activist-tarnished-swaziland.html
KING GETS MORE, HIS SUBJECTS LESS
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/03/king-gets-more-his-subjects-less.html
NO MONEY FOR AIDS BUT THE KING’S OK
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/04/no-money-for-aids-but-kings-ok.html
No comments:
Post a Comment