By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:The ‘ruling’ delivered by the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) Working Group has contextually condemned the conviction of pro-democracy Members of Parliament(MPs) Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube while ‘directing’ the eSwatini Government to release them within six(6) months from the date of the ruling.

But King Mswati has released only one(1) MP Mthandeni Dube after tricking him to apologise through Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Prince Simelane, “efforts are being made by Prince Lindani to convince MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza to apologize and be released as well”.

The pro-democracy MPs were arrested and subsequently slapped with politically motivated terrorism charges merely for demanding democracy in the tiny Kingdom ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch.

But the King uses draconian laws to suppress dissenting views and thrash calls for democratic reforms in a country were political parties are banned, human rights defenders are arrested, tortured or even killed for demanding democracy.

In it’s ruling dated 15th October 2025, the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group narrated the events leading to the MPs conviction and further condemned the manner in which the matter was handled by the eSwatini High Court.

“The source states that on 25 July 2021, approximately 20 police officers arrested Mr. Dube in his home for allegedly committing a terrorist act in breach of section 5 (1) of the Suppression of Terrorism Act, 2008. A similar number of police officers arrested Mr. Mabuza for contravening regulation 4 of the Disaster Management (Coronavirus COVID-19) Regulations, 2020, after barricading the gate to his office and threatening to shoot him unless he surrendered. According to the source, on 26 July 2021, the two men were charged on the basis of the two aforementioned laws, for inciting people to revolt against the State, which allegedly led to riots around the country, causing loss of life, injuries and destruction of property. Mr. Mabuza’s coronavirus disease(COVID-19)-related charge was brought because on 5 June 2021, he had allegedly failed to keep a register and ensure the sanitization of the participants of a meeting he had convened,” reads the ruling in part.

The UN Human Rights Council Working further noted that, on the August 2021, the High Court reportedly dismissed Dube and Mabuza’s first bail application, stating notably that, they were a flight risk and likely to interfere with witnesses.

“On 14 September 2021, the High Court dismissed their second bail application, which was based on new facts and changed circumstances, on the basis that it was precluded from examining a second bail application in the same case. The source reports that on 15 October 2021, the prosecutor filed an amended indictment charging the two men under the Suppression of Terrorism Act, 2008, and the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act, 1938, for allegedly making public statements encouraging disobedience of a banning order and rejection of the Prime Minister’s appointment, which were deemed to have seditious intent. The two men were also charged with murder for allegedly killing two individuals on or about 29 June 2021. The source claims that the deaths occurred during the protests when a protester drove into the crowd. Neither Mr. Dube not Mabuza, however, were reportedly anywhere near the location of the accident, and, to date, the driver of the vehicle has not been charged,” reads the ruling in part.

The MPs were convicted by Judge Mumcy Dlamini who is married to King Mswati’s brother Supreme Court Judge Majahenkhaba Dlamini of the Nkhaba Royal Kraal and it is alleged that, the order to convict the MPs was issued by King Mswati.