MBABANE:Vongai Chikwanda, the Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa says the conditional release of MP Mthandeni Dube is incomplete with pro-democracy Member of Parliament(MP) Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza behind bars.
In a statement released this week and in reaction to the royal pardon that resulted to Dube’s release, the Amnesty International Regional Deputy Director said, justice remains incomplete while demanding the unconditional release of MP Bacede Mabuza.
“Mthandeni Dube’s release may bring relief to his family, but justice remains incomplete while his human rights are restricted by sweeping conditions and Bacede Mabuza who was arrested together with Dube, is still in prison. Both Mthandeni Dube and Bacede Mabuza should never have been imprisoned in the first place solely the peaceful exercise of their human rights. The Eswatini authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Bacede Mabuza and quash both MPs’ unfair convictions,” said Amnesty International Regional Deputy Director.
Amnesty International has been consistently demanding the release of the two(2) eSwatini pro-democracy MPs by escalating their plight with other international human rights bodies.
The MPs were arrested and subsequently charged with terrorism merely for demanding democratic reforms in the tiny Kingdom ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch.
On another note, the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) Working Group urged the eSwatini Government to release MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza within six(6) months, from the 15th October 2025 being the date of the ‘ruling’.
Mabuza is the only remaining MP who is behind bars for demanding democracy and the regime is reportedly urging him to first apologize and be released.
MPs Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube(pic:supplied).