Swaziland Newsletter No. 785 – 14
July 2023
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.
eSwatini’s King Mswati dissolves parliament in
preparation for elections
Phathizwe Zulu, Anadolu Agency, 12 July 2023
LOBAMBA: Eswatini’s
King Mswati III spoke to thousands of citizens from his Ludzidzini Royal
Residence on Tuesday, saying it was time to dissolve parliament to prepare for
national elections in September.
“It is time to
dissolve parliament to allow the nation to elect new MPs who prioritize the
country’s development. The nation must elect people who will not elevate their
selfish needs over national interests,” he said.
Sibongile
Mazibuko, president of Ngwane National Liberatory Congress, said King Mswati
was deceptive towards the nation after the unrest in June 2021.
“The King was
not truthful in his speech. He promised SADC (Southern African Development
Community) dialogue, but he never instituted any. Even he is misleading the
nation to believe that new graduates will be employed, but where will the
budget come from? The health sector has collapsed and the economy is not
performing well,” said Mazibuko.
Pro-democracy
protests erupted in June 2021 following the death of a 25-year-old law student
who allegedly died at the hands of the police. Over 1,000 people were arrested
and security forces were called in to stamp out dissent.
The Kingdom of
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a land-locked country in southern
Africa.
The monarchy
of Eswatini holds judicial and executive powers, and the king appoints the
prime minister.
Eswatini’s
parliament has a bicameral system consisting of the House of Assembly and the
House of Senate. People elect 59 MPs from their chiefdoms and 10 MPs are
appointed by the king.
The king then
appoints 20 members, while the House of Assembly elects 10 members into the
House of Senate.
See also
This isn’t the dialogue we hoped for
- MSF
http://www.times.co.sz/news/140998-this-isn%E2%80%99t-the-dialogue-we-hoped-for-msf.html
His Majesty:
dialogue soon after elections
http://www.times.co.sz/news/140984-his-majesty-dialogue-soon-after-elections.html
King Mswati raised hope for much-
anticipated dialogue
https://independentnews.co.sz/local-news/9732/king-mswati-raised-hope-for-much-awaited-dialogue/
Voters being illegally removed from roll - MPs
By Kwanele Dhladhla, eSwatini Observer, 12
July 2023
Members of Parliament (MP) have
made scathing allegations about an ongoing trend where unknown people
illegitimately canvass for the removal of voters from their designated
constituencies and threaten masses not to vote for some individuals or face
dire consequences.
The action, which has been
condemned by MPs who called upon Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs
Pholile Shakantu to instruct the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to
swiftly take stern action, allegedly happened as part of the ongoing voters
roll validation exercise, which ends tomorrow.
This came to the fore during
the debate of the Elections (Amendment) Bill of 2023, which was passed by the
House of Assembly with amendments communicated by Senate.
Gilgal MP, Kenneth Fakudze,
said he had learnt of a trend where voters were being frantically removed from
the roll because they were believed to be supporters of a potential candidate.
He wondered whether it was
legal to conduct such an action because the people responsible for removing or
lodging complaints about the inclusion of some people in the roll had no basis
except to say they were not known to them
“The people who call for
removal of voters from the roll neither can explain where they expect the
person they want removed to eventually vote nor do they have valid reasons why
they should be removed.
This is very worrying and we
would like to call upon the EBC to act on it,” Kunene said.
Fakudze also urged the minister to clarify whether it would be possible to
remove a voter from the roll without their knowledge and what protection could
be provided by EBC to ensure that people do not get removed unfairly.
Deputy Speaker and Mhlangatane
MP, Madala Mhlanga, concurred that he had learnt of the trend referred to as
weeding (kuhlakula).
He rhetorically asked who had
mandated the group going around the polling stations calling for removal of
people from the roll. Mhlanga said in his home area, some of the people
who the group calls for their removal were genuinely from the area, which was
reason to be worried.
“There is a loophole with
regard to the removal of people because some of them are known to be from the
area,” Mhlanga submitted. The deputy speaker went on to request that EBC
resolves the allocation of polling stations, especially in his home area.
Ndzingeni MP, Lutfo Dlamini, asked whether a voter could be removed from the
roll without their knowledge.
He also claimed that the people
who were calling for removal of some voters were not even known in the
constituencies where they visited to inspect the voters roll. “Only the EBC
must be mandated to remove a person from the voters roll after thorough
interrogation that indeed they were not from the area in which they claim to
be,” said Dlamini.
To drive his point home, he
said it was worrying that some people seemed to have ulterior motives when
objecting on the inclusion of some voters in the roll.
He said he had been previously
lucky to have won a case where his election victory was being challenged by
people who were competitors while he was in a coma yet the people who had voted
for him were content with his success.
“No one has been nominated as
yet. Therefore, no individual has a right to be concerned who should be voted
where,” Dlamini submitted. Dlamini also claimed that there were also threats
being made on voters. He said the voters, especially the elderly, were now
being threatened not to vote for certain individuals or they will face dire
consequences.
“The election must be true,
free and fair,” Dlamini emphasised. When providing clarity, Shakantu explained
that only the EBC was mandated to remove a voter from the roll.
She said that removal could
only be done soon after engaging with the voter and determining whether the
objection was truthful and with no intent to disadvantage a than from
exercising their right to vote. “The EBC will make inquiries, interrogate
and engage with the voter before any removal from the roll,” Shakantu assured.
Over 500 wanted
out of voters roll at Kamkhweli
By Stanley Khumalo, Times of eSwatini, 13 July 2023
SIPHOFANENI: Over 500 people are reportedly wanted out of the voters
roll at KaMkhweli under Siphofaneni Constituency.
KaMkhweli Chiefdom is under Siphofaneni Constituency, located about 52
kilometres southeast of Manzini and is led by Prince Mshengu. Until Tuesday, wherein
His Majesty King Mswati III declared 59 vacant seats in Parliament, it was
represented by Nomalungelo LaZwide Simelane, for about 12 months. She took
over from the President of the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO), Mduduzi
‘Gawuzela’ Simelane, after his seat was declared vacant in Parliament as he
missed 20 consecutive sittings. He is currently in self-exile.
Meanwhile, the individuals said to be a cause for concern among the residents
are supposedly unknown to many people within the polling station.
It is claimed that some of the people who have registered to partake in
the general elections under this polling station are not from area. These
individuals were reportedly identified by community members when verifying the
voters roll and they raised their concerns with the Elections and Bounderies
Commission (EBC) officers. Sources from the community claimed that after
pointing out of these individuals, some community members registered their
concern with the EBC officers; however, it was claimed that the stationery used
for this was not sufficient. A form should be filled in when filing a
complaint with the EBC.
According to the sources, the community members decided to photocopy the
form in order to register the individuals who were unknown to them. One of the
community members, *Marvin, alleged that there were foreign nationals who were
identified in the voters roll. The foreigners, according to the community
member, neither had any business establishments in the area nor homesteads.
Instead, Marvin claimed that the foreign nationals listed their residential
areas as those in the capital city, Mbabane. “Some of the people claim to
be residing in flats at Checkers. We don’t have Checkers in Siphofaneni and we
have never seen them,” Marvin claimed. The registered voter purported that
in his exercise of establishing unknown people in the community, who had
registered to vote at KaMkhweli, he had identified over 120. Another
resident, *Caleb, claimed that he had seen people who were from Sithobelweni,
Siyendle, Lavundlamanti, Bulunga and even Fairview. The community member
supposed that among the people he had seen who were not from his constituency
was a blogger of one of the popular Facebook pages discussing political news in
the country.
*Not real name
To read more of this report, click
here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/141002-over-500-wanted-out-of-voters-roll-at-kamkhweli.html
See also
MPs reveal
threats, dirty plot to remove some from voters roll
By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 8
July, 2023
SIGWE: David Cruizer
Ngcamphalala, the Minister of Tinkhundla and Development allegedly grabbed four
(4) government tractors worth R2.6million for his Constituency amid a scramble
for public resources by Cabinet Ministers before King Mswati dissolve
Parliament.
The scramble for looting, it
has been disclosed, was allegedly created by an uncertainty whether the King
will dissolve both Cabinet and Parliament during Sibaya next week.
But the Constitution suggests
that upon the dissolution of Parliament, Cabinet ceases to exist.
Minister Ngcamphalala is
alleged to have included one (1) tractor for himself disguised as a Regional
Development Fund (RDF) ‘grant’ for one of the associations that benefited
within his Sigwe Constituency.
The alleged looting comes at
the time when other Tinkhundla Centres and/or eMaswati are literally struggling
with no resources.
When questioned by this
Swaziland News on Friday morning regarding the four (4) tractors, the
Tinkhundla and Development Minister laughed and said “good bye” to this
journalist.
“Bye bye” said the Tinkhundla
Minister.
On another note, Senator
Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku, the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) who was the Guest
Speaker during the handing over of the tractors this week, thanked the people
of Sigwe for not taking part in the burning of structures.
“You are benefiting these
tractors from Government as a token of appreciation for not joining those who
were burning structures,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Speaking to this Swaziland
News on Friday, Sibongile Mazibuko, the President of the Ngwane National
Liberatory Congress (NNLC), described the Tinkhundla Minister as a power hungry
individual who can do anything to maintain his position or climb the political
ladder.
“People of Sigwe must not be
disturbed or shaken by this delivery, it was financed by their own taxes. These
deliveries come once in five (5) years and very soon, Cruizer Ngcamphalala will
disappear and leave them in poverty,” said the NNLC President.
Reached for comments, Nkilongo
Member of Parliament (MP) Timothy Myeni, the Chairperson of the Ministry of
Tinkhundla Portfolio Committee urged Minister Cruizer Ngcamphalala to ensure
that, all MPs and Tinkhundla Centres are benefiting equally from the Regional
Development Fund (RDF).
“We congratulate the people of
Sigwe for these tractors, they elected a man who delivered services to his
Constituency. But, the delivery of services under the Regional Development Fund
(RDF) should not be one-sided and benefit only Sigwe just because, MP Cruizer
is the Tinkhundla Minister. We want to see all fifty-nine (59) Tinkhundla
Centres benefiting,” said the Nkilongo MP who doubles as the Chairperson of the
Tinkhundla Portfolio Committee.
See also
Tinkhundla minister Cruizer’s looting:
So Cabinet Ministers want to remain behind when the King dissolve Parliament so
that they can steal public resources?.
http://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=4698
Continued target
of CPS members by Mswati’s security forces as another leader arrested and
tortured
Communist Party of Swaziland statement, 12 July 2023
MBABANE: On Tuesday, 11
July 2023 at around 11:00am, Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) Central
Committee member, Comrade Sambulo Shongwe, was arrested by six heavily armed
police officers at his dormitory at the University of Swaziland, Mbabane
Campus.
Comrade Sambulo
Shongwe is also the National Executive Committee member of the Swaziland
National Union of Students (SNUS) serving as National Political Educator.
Eye witnesses reveal
that the police had covered their faces with balaclavas and had gathered
intelligence about Comrade Sambulo’s whereabouts. Upon entering the university
premises, they went straight to where he was to capture him.
“They just went
straight to his dormitory, heavily knocked on his door, and apprehended him
right away”, said one student identified as Bathulise who witnessed the
incident first-hand.
Comrade Sambulo was
later taken to Mbabane police station where he was detained and interrogated.
He spent the night at the Mbabane police station.
In the morning of
Wednesday 12 July 2023, he appeared before the Mbabane magistrate’s court. It
was revealed that he had been heavily tortured by the police and was limping as
he appeared in court.
He was remanded in
custody until Friday 15 July 2023, currently held at Sidvwashini Prison in
Mbabane.
The regime has now
charged Comrade Sambulo Shongwe with assault, which the regime claims took
place during protests actions, the counts being:
1. Assaulting
security guards at the University of Swaziland in Mbabane Campus,
2. Assaulting
one security guard at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Mbabane,
3. Assaulting
a police officer at Manzini magistrate’s court where he, together with workers
and democracy activists had gone to support (SNAT) Deputy Secretary Mxolisi
Ngcamphalala’s court case on Friday 12 May 2023, wherein the regime arbitrarily
resuscitated a 2019 charge teachers’ union against the teachers’ union leader.
The Mswati autocracy has
intensified its attacks on communist activists in Swaziland and is hellbent on
crushing the democratic movement.
This latest arrest and
trumped-up charges follow the recent abduction and vicious torture of four
Communist Party members by Mswati’s soldiers on 29 June 2023. On that day, our
comrades were abducted on their way to attend the trial of another CPS member,
Comrade Mvuselelo Mkhabela who faces political charges related to campaigning
against the discredited sham tinkhundla elections.
Under the BREAK THE
CHAINS CAMPAIGN, the Communist Party of Swaziland demands the
unconditional release of Comrade Mvuselelo Mkhabela, Comrade Sambulo Shongwe, and
all political prisoners.
The CPS reiterates its call
for unity of the mass democratic movement for the total overthrow of the Mswati
autocracy.
Issued by the Communist
Party of Swaziland, Thokozane
Kenneth Kunene, General Secretary
SWAZI
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