By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza, the convicted pro-democracy ex-Eswatini Member of Parliament (MP) might soon be released as the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNRC) Working Group deadline approaches. 

In a ‘ruling’ seen and previously reported by this publication, the UN Working Group gave the Kingdom of Eswatini a six (6) months ultimatum from October 2025 to release Mabuza and ex-MP Mthandeni Dube or else, the unlawful and/or politically motivated conviction will be escalated with the higher structures of the United Nations.

The United Nations Working Group investigates cases of deprivation of liberty imposed arbitrarily or inconsistently with the international standards set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or the international legal instruments accepted by the States concerned.

But the UN Working Group communicated the ruling or report to King Mswati’s Government on the 15th October 2025 after investigating the politically motivated conviction of MPs Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube.

Subsequent and/or after receiving the directive, the King released MP Mthandeni Dube after tricking him through Justice Minister Prince Simelane to apologize while MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza is still behind bars at Matsapha Prison for politically motivated crimes he never committed. 

The pro-democracy MPs were unlawfully convicted by Judge Mumcy Dlamini who is married to a royal family member Prince Majahenkhaba and, the Judge was allegedly acting on orders or directive issued by King Mswati.

But as per an investigation report previously published by this Swaziland News, a delegation of MPs accompanied by King’s Protocol Officer Khandlela Mdluli subsequently visited ex-MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza at Matsapha Correctional Complex this week.

But even though the delegation claimed to have gone to Matsapha Correctional Complex to visit inmates as part of the Christmas celebration, this journalist subsequently gathered that ex-MP Bacede Mabuza was “again negotiated to apologize” to King Mswati and be immediately released.

Eswatini is an absolute Monarchy, the then MPs Mabuza and Dube MPs were arrested merely for demanding democracy and subsequently charged with terrorism, murder and other fabricated politically motivated criminal charges.

Phindile Dlamini, the Commissioner General of the Correctional Services declined to comment about the meetings held to discuss the release of the pro-democracy MP.

But sources within the corridors of powers told this publication that, appointed MP Prince Lindani is allegedly leading the process of attempting to force or convince ex-MP Mabuza to apologise to his father Mswati and be released.

“Attempts to intimidate him failed as he refused to apologise and now, the strategy is to be polite and negotiate him to before the UN deadline,” said a high profile insider within the corridors of power.

But Madala Mhlanga, the Deputy Speaker in the House of Assembly previously told this publication that, the delegation of MPs accompanied by King’s Protocol Officer Khandlela Mdluli visited ex-MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and other high profile inmates just to demonstrate love and appreciate them as members of the society despite their past ‘mistakes’.

The Deputy Speaker together with Kwaluseni MP Sifiso Shongwe donated soccer kits to the Matsapha inmates soccer team.