By Wendy Magagula

MBABANE: Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku said Government was working towards normalising the situation, he appealed for calm and advised protesters to submit their grievances through email.

This comes few days after King Mswati’s commanding officer Senior Superintendent Clement Sihlongonyane told protestors at Siphofaneni that their Constitutional rights have been revoked.

“Your Constitutional rights are revoked today” said the police officer when blocking and shooting protestors on Saturday.

Addressing the Nation on Tuesday in the midst of political unrest in this tiny Kingdom of Eswatini, the Acting PM said Government respects freedom of expression and banning of the delivery of petitions to Tinkhundla centres was not meant to shift emaSwati from raising grievances.

“It should be clear that Government respects the freedom of expression and the banning of delivery of petitions to Tinkhundla is by no means shifting emaSwati from raising grievances” he said.

Eswatini is facing growing calls for democratic reforms, the Government first unleashed the police to shot peaceful protesters before banning the delivery of petitions. After banning of the delivery of petitions, Government unleashed the army and the police to shot protesters in the rural areas and towns and the situation subsequently manifested into chaos.