Political and workers’ leaders
in Botswana have said King Mswati III of Swaziland should not take the chair of
SADC later this month (August 2016), because he is a ‘dictator’ in his own
kingdom.
The King is due to hold the
chair of the Southern Africa Development Community because each of the 15 countries
in SADC take it in turn.
Botswana is a member of SADC
and a multi-party democracy. The
Botswana Guardian newspaper reported
that civil society groups, labour leaders and politicians were against King Mswati.
The Guardian reported Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, vice president of the
Botswana Congress Party (BCP), saying, ‘Although Swaziland is a sovereign
state, the fact that King Mswati III is ascending the SADC chair this August is
a matter of great concern to us because the country has thus far refused to
embrace the values of democracy.
‘This is an indication that
the regional body is not committed to democratic values.’
The newspaper reported, ‘In
his view, the development is a setback for the region because Mswati III is not
competent to meaningfully intervene when there is a crisis especially where
democracy is the issue.’
Motlatsi Molapis, President
of the Botswana People’s Party (BPP), reportedly said, ‘Mswati does not qualify
to hold that position at all. Not only is he a dictator but he is also a
corrupt leader who sees nothing wrong with abusing public resources for his
benefit while people starve.’
Nelson Ramaotwana, the
Botswana National Front (BNF) Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said all
countries, including Swaziland, were free to run their affairs according to
their own home-grown processes.
‘Mswati is, however, not
the right person for the job because he cannot mediate between government and
its people where matters of democracy are concerned. In his country, civic
right groups including political parties and trade unions are, for all intents
and purposes, banned.’
Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, Deputy
Secretary General of the Botswana Federation of Public and Private Sector
Unions (BOFEPUSU), reportedly said, ‘He rules by decree. There is no bargaining
council and those who raise their voices about his abuse of power are
incarcerated. Above everything else, a leader must be a role model with regards
to what the organisation he leads stands for.’
He added, ‘We are liaising
with like-minded organisations in the SADC as well as embassies to reject his
chairmanship. We will also lobby Swazis here and back home to join us in the
rejection of King Mswati III. We seek to isolate him,’ he said.
Opposition groups within
Swaziland have also spoken against King Mswati. The Communist
Party of Swaziland (CPS), in a statement, said, ‘The
CPS is astonished that the governments of Southern Africa show such massive
disregard for the plight of the Swazi people as to put absolute monarch Mswati
III at the helm of SADC, supposedly an organisation that defends democracy, the
rule of law and human rights.’
It added. ‘The CPS urges all its supporters in
Swaziland and in exile and all those in the broader pro-democracy movement to
put the spotlight on SADC’s moral black hole that is Swaziland, as Mswati
dresses up as the chairman of SADC and wallows in the applause of SADC’s
democratic heads of state.’
SADC
states that its objectives are to, ‘achieve development, peace and
security, and economic growth, to alleviate poverty, enhance the standard and
quality of life of the peoples of Southern Africa, and support the socially
disadvantaged through regional integration, built on democratic principles and equitable
and sustainable development.’
In August 2015, Human Rights Watch said
in a statement, ‘SADC member states have taken little action to ensure
respect for human rights and the rule of law in all southern African countries
despite identifying peace, security, and the promotion of human rights as key
concerns within the region.’
Swaziland is the only member of SADC where political
parties are banned from taking part in elections. King Mswati III rules as
sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch and he chooses members of the
government. Opposition groups are banned under the Suppression of Terrorism
Act.
Human Rights Watch said, ‘In Swaziland, human rights
conditions and respect for the rule of law have deteriorated significantly.
Restrictions on political activism and trade unions, such as under the
draconian Suppression
of Terrorism Act, violate international law, and activists and union
members risk arbitrary detention and unfair trials.’
See also
SWAZI
HUMAN RIGHTS WORSEN: AMNESTY
HUMAN
RIGHTS WATCH ON SWAZILAND
‘STAND
UP TO SWAZI KING’, UNIONS URGED
