Swaziland Newsletter No. 802 – 10
November 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
has a new Prime Minister
By
Lenin Ndebele, News 24 (South Africa), 3 November 2023
At the end of the two-week-long Isibaya
gathering in Eswatini, King Mswati III appointed Russell Mmemo Dlamini as the
new prime minister of the last absolute monarchy in Africa.Dlamini
is the former chief executive officer of the National Disaster Management
Agency (NDMA).
He takes
over the prime minister's job from Mgwagwa Gamedze, who has been in an acting
role since September after the king dissolved parliament in preparation for the
tinkhundla elections.
In the
last legislature, Cleopas Dlamini was prime minister.
Since the
post was established in 1967, Eswatini has had 11 prime ministers and eight
acting prime ministers.
Only the
late Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini was prime minister twice, from 1996 to 2003 and
again from 2008 to 2018.
The prime
minister can only serve two terms at most.
The new
prime minister won a seat at the tinkhundla elections in October.
Members
of parliament in Eswatini only play an advisory role to the king.
The prime
minister's main role will be to chair cabinet meetings as the head of
government.
Eswatini: government announces
election results
According
to Eswatini laws, the king will then choose cabinet ministers “on advice from
the prime minister.”
Political
parties are not allowed to take part in elections that SADC said were largely peaceful.
On the
second day of Isibaya, a Swati man called on the king to allow political
parties to take part in elections before he had the microphone taken away from him.
PUDEMO
says the appointment of Prime Minister Russell Dlamini by King
unconstitutional, calls on the international community to act against Mswati’s
oppressive regime
By
Colani Khulekani Maseko, Swaziland News, 7 November, 2023
MBABANE: Panuel Malinga, the Secretary
General (SG) of the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) has, on behalf
of the political organization, released a statement rejecting the appointment
of the new Prime Minister (PM) Mmiso Russell Dlamini on basis that, the
constitution was violated.
Malinga, further called on the
International community to act against Mswati's oppressive government.
“The recent finalisation of tikhundla
repressive machinery has once again proved the correctness of our people that
we are struggling against a regime which has no regard for any law beside
singing praises to the despot called Mswati. It is not our place as we have
said it too many times to point to all the constitutional blunders, but of
concern now is the silence of the democratic world to this open violations of
the constitution, as most has sang the tune of democratising through constitutional
means. The silence is not diplomatic but indirectly empowering this despot,”
reads the statement in part released by the Secretary General of PUDEMO.
The appointment of the new PM was
announced on Friday afternoon at Ludzidzini Palace where King Mswati had
summoned the Nation for the Sibaya national gathering.
On another note, King Mswati urged the
Nation to support the newly appointed Prime Minister Mmiso Russell Dlamini.
Addressing the Nation on Friday at
Ludzidzini Palace during Sibaya national gathering the King said, the new PM
will address issues of poverty among others adding that, the country was faced
with social and economic disasters.
“No one is perfect,the new Prime Minister
needs advice and guidance from you”, said the King.
See also
NDMA’S Russell
appointed PM
http://www.times.co.sz/news/142494-ndma%E2%80%99s-russell-appointed-pm.html
So King Mswati showed a middle finger
to international donors by appointing a Prime Minister who failed to account
for about R180million when questioned by Parliament?
http://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=5479
King
appoints 20 into Senate
By
Simon Shabangu and Sibongile Sukati, eSwatini Observer, 6 November 2023
The 12th Parliament is now complete.
This follows the appointment of 20 senators
by His Majesty King Mswati III yesterday after much anticipation.
This now brings the total number of
senators to 30.
A total of eight women were appointed by
the King following an announcement made by the Attorney General and acting
Ludzidzini Governor Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo at the Ludzidzini Royal Residence.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=21431
See also
Cleopas, Themba out of Senate, 7
women In
http://www.times.co.sz/news/142526-cleopas-themba-out-of-senate-7-women-in.html
‘The Taiwanese people should stand with
the people of Swaziland’: a conversation with Tanele Maseko
By Brian Hioe, New
Bloom, 2 November 2023
New Bloom
editor Brian Hioe interviewed Tanele Maseko, human rights defender from
Swaziland and the wife of Thulani Maseko. Thulani Maseko, an opposition
politician and human rights lawyer, was killed by
unidentified gunman in January of this year. As this took place
after comments by Swazi monarch King Mswati III suggesting that critics of his
should be killed, it is thought that this killing was ordered by the monarch.
Tanele Maseko was visiting Taipei for the Oslo
Freedom Forum on
October 18th.
Despite the questionable human rights record of Swaziland,
which was renamed Eswatini by Mswati III in April 2018, it is one of Taiwan’s
diplomatic allies. Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen most recently visited Eswatini this
September.
Brian Hioe: Could
you first introduce yourself for those that do not know you?
Tanele Maseko: My
name is Tanele Maseko. I’m a human rights defender from Swaziland. And I am
married to the late Thulani Rudolph Maseko, human rights lawyer and human
rights activist from Swaziland. I am now CEO of the newly founded Thulani
Maseko Foundation.
BH: Would
you say you are trying to carry on your husband’s work after his unfortunate
assassination?
TM: Yes,
that is very true. I continue to push for his legacy, his ideals, what he stood
for, what he fought for, and eventually what he died for.
BH: And so that would be regarding
the democracy movement in Swaziland? That there is not democracy, that it’s an
absolute monarchy, that the parliamentary system is dissolved, and the
constitution is signed, and so forth.
TM: That
is quite true, Brian. I am driving the narrative that Swaziland needs to open
up the space for democracy. Swaziland is ruled by an absolute monarch.
Swaziland does not have political parties. The current government doesn’t
believe in political parties or political participation.
So yes, I am trying to tell people of the
world that Swaziland is governed by the last absolute monarch who is a brutal
monarch, an evil system that we need the people of the world to assist us–as
Swaziland–to gain and attain our democracy. And not to embrace this dictator as
they are doing–and as Taiwan is doing, in helping to fund a dictatorship.
BH: As
you know, Taiwan itself is a country that went through an authoritarian past
but in this case is backing the authoritarian regime. The protests in Swaziland
remind me of the protests that needed to take place for Taiwan to have a
democracy. So, in that sense, what would you want the people of Taiwan to know
about the situation in Swaziland?
TM: I
want the people of Taiwan to know that Swaziland is in a dire situation.
Swaziland is a ticking time bomb. We have a lot of our colleagues and comrades
who are living in exile.
That is but one issue. Political
participation is not allowed. Political parties are banned. Human rights
defenders are labeled terrorists. Political activists are labeled terrorists.
But what is also critical when it comes to Swaziland is our education system is
collapsing. Our health system is in a crisis.
So I would ask the people of Taiwan to
stand with the people of Swaziland in pushing the Taiwanese president, in
asking the Taiwanese government to stop aiding a dictator who gets benefits
from Taiwan. Such benefits do not help the ordinary Swazi on the street.
I would urge the people of Taiwan to
encourage and put pressure on the king to discuss the future and democracy of
Swaziland openly, freely, and honestly. Taiwan complains of China. How then can
you complain of China and yet you continue to support a dictatorship like
Swaziland?
To read more of this interview, click
here
Hunger now a
national crisis – MP Lazwide tells King
By Eugene Dube, Swati Newsweek, 8 November, 2023
LOBAMBA: Sphofaneni member of
Parliament Lomalungelo ‘LaZwide’ Simelane spoke bravely and softly before the
King but her words carried a very powerful message which cannot be easily
ignored.
Simelane singled out massive
poverty as one of the key issues greatly affecting Swazis today.
She said, “Your Majesty thanks
so much for giving me this opportunity to speak before you.”
She added, “Hunger is a now a national
crisis your Majesty. I can see that your experts have aslo gathered here. If
these experts of yours ignore the signs of hunger there will be a problem. Let
us address the problem we have as a country including hunger. I am also aware
that the King has given the new Prime minister a mandate to address the hunger
issue.”
“Like a game of football if
your players are not happy the whole team suffers there are always negative
results if the players are not well looked after,” said the MP at Mandvulo
Hall.
She concluded, “My wish is
that all Swazis live in harmony and the king will also live in peace.”
All new members of parliament
have been invited by the King in his Palace.
MP Masilela apologises to King for
challenging election law
Timothy
Simelane and Sibusiso Shange, Times of eSwatini, 8 November 2023
LOZITHA: Lobamba MP Michael Masilela has apologised to His Majesty the
King for challenging the eligibility of MPs who lost the elections to stand for
Senate election.
Masilela was speaking at Mandvulo Grand
Hall when newly-installed Members of Parliament (MPs) and senators introduced
themselves to the King. The legislators were also allowed to speak for three
minutes to state their ambitions for the new term. Masilela said before he
could say anything, he felt the urge to apologise to the King for his follies.
“I know the King is a Christian and he
forgives. I sincerely ask for forgiveness for that case that was eventually
widely publicised in courts. It was uncouth of me to challenge something that
had been done by the King. When the King has issued a law, who am I to
challenge it the way I did. Shwele Wena Wekunene. Intfo leyentiwe yinkhosi
awuhambi uyeneka etinkantolo,” he said.
Meanwhile, MP Masilela also said there was
a serious error in the enactment of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act
(POCA), in that this piece of legislation says it can be implemented in
retrospect. He said legislators made an error in judgement by allowing the law
to be effected in retrospect. He also said it targeted people who grew
cannabis.
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