King
Mswati III of Swaziland will be given the powers to take over all radio and
television stations in the kingdom, if a Bill before Parliament becomes law.
The
Swaziland Broadcasting Bill 2013 gives the king, who rules as sub-Saharan
Africa’s last absolute monarch, the authority to take over the stations if
there is a ‘threatened public emergency’.
The
Swaziland Broadcasting Bill says there would need to be a ‘proclamation of a
state of public emergency or threatened public emergency’ before the king could
intervene. The Bill allows him to appoint someone to take over any or all
broadcasting stations and control and direct them, ‘for so long as the king
considers it expedient’.
Media
in Swaziland is largely censored, but the Bill extends the king’s powers. All
broadcasting, except one TV channel and one radio station, are under state
control. News and information broadcast are strictly censored and no criticism
of the king and the ruling elite is allowed.
The
Media Institute of Southern Africa, Swaziland chapter, described the Bill’s
provisions as ‘somewhat extreme’.
In
a statement it said it was concerned at the extent the new law would give the
king ‘absolute power’ over broadcasting.
It
added, ‘However, to give one person the opportunity to take unfettered control
and direction over all broadcast media seems somewhat extreme and, it might be
said, counter-productive.
‘Moreover,
MISA-Swaziland calls for a clear definition of “public emergency” and
“threatened public emergency”, as it is not clear what these terms mean. There
is a fear that these terms, and this Article, could be used to further entrench
the control and influence already wielded by the state-owned and controlled
broadcasters.
‘Dictators
in other parts of the world have used similar legal provisions to abuse power
and take over the media.’
See
also
BROADCASTING
BILLS GO TO PARLIAMENT
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