MBABANE:Zweli Martin Dlamini,the editor of this Swaziland News described King Mswati’s Tinkhundla system of Governance as a very dangerous regime that kills those with dissenting political views.
Responding to NewsRoom Afrika Presenter Naledi Moleo on Thursday when asked if he was not fearing for his life as lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko was killed, the editor maintained that,the regime remains dangerous to those who criticize it.
“Of course the eSwatini regime is a very very dangerous regime in terms of killing of civilians. As you have just mentioned, Thulani Maseko was the Chairperson of the pro-democracy MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF), that is a coalition group that was corresponding with SADC and other international organizations, in facilitating a political dialogue as peaceful means and mechanism to ensure that eSwatini is transited into democracy. But the regime targeted him, he was not a violent person, he was just writing letters on-behalf of the pro-democracy groups, pleading with the international community in facilitating dialogue in eSwatini”, said the editor.
A questionnaire was sent to Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
On another note, the editor further mentioned that, the Supression of Terrorism Act is used to suppress dissenting views in eSwatini such that even Members of Parliament(MPs) Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza, Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Magawugawu Simelane were falsely accused of terrorism after demanding democracy in Parliament.
The editor told NewsRoom Afrika TV that two(2) MPs Mabuza and Dube were convicted of terrorism while MP Simelane fled to exile, he said their ‘crime’ was to demand democracy.
Amid the killing of civilians in eSwatini, the pro-democracy movement has been demanding a transparent, independent and credible investigation into the killing of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko.
The late Thulani Maseko.