Police in Swaziland (eSwatini) are hunting for the
people who were involved in carrying a banner during a protest that said absolute
monarch King Mswati III ‘must fall.’
It happened during a demonstration organised by the
recently-formed Political Party Assembly (PPA)
when a banner reading ‘#MSWATI MUST FALL’ was carried.
Dissent is stamped on in Swaziland where political parties cannot
contest elections and groups advocating for democracy are outlawed by the Suppression
of Terrorism Act.
Royal Eswatini Police Service National Commissioner
William Dlamini told a media conference that police had not given permission
for the banner to be used and it would not be allowed to be seen at any future
march.
The Observer on Saturday,
a newspaper in effect owned by the King, reported he said, ‘The truth is that
we’re investigating the matter. The banner was carried by individuals on the
day and the law will take its course. It shows that those people carrying the
banner had planned for an opportunity to raise it such that when the police
realise the damage the message would have already been disseminated.’
The newspaper said a man who was carrying a banner had
been taken in by police.
The Observer added, ‘He [Dlamini] said,
however, this is not the end as they would continue with their investigations
and get to the bottom of such acts.’
The slogan ‘#MSWATI MUST FALL’
is being used by the PPA as part of its campaign for reforms in the kingdom.
Three
of the group’s leaders were detained by police on 12 December 2019 when
they tried to lead a march through the industrial town of Matsapha aimed at
drumming up support for the PPA.
Protest marches are
routinely banned in Swaziland where freedom of assembly is severely curtailed.
The PPA consists of political parties including the
Ngwane National Liberation Congress (NNLC), the Communist Party of
Swaziland (CPS), the Swazi Democratic Party (SDP) and the People’s United
Democratic Party (PUDEMO).
In
a statement the PPA said it wanted to end the kingdom’s form of government,
known as Tinkhundla, or monarchical democracy. They wanted power returned to
the people.
PPA stated, ‘We unanimously observed that the royal
project Tinkhundla has reached a point of no return in dragging down our
dignity and stretching beyond limits our patience as a people.’
The announcement came days after it was revealed the
King had taken delivery of at least 15 Rolls-Royce cars for his wives and
family and 79
luxury BMW cars worth US$6 million for ‘escort duties’.
PPA said, ‘Brazen looting and plunder of national
resources by the monarchy have reached levels unmatched in history, plunging
our people into unbearable conditions as witnessed through escalating cost of
living, crisis in education and health, high unemployment as well as poor
general service delivery.’
The banner the police have banned
See also
Democracy leaders detained by Swaziland police as
illegal march halted
Swaziland
political parties unite in bid to end absolute king’s power
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