By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: Dr Roger Koranteng, the Public Sector Governance and Anti-Corruption at the Commonwealth Secretariat has been reported to his superiors for supporting King Mswati and his undemocratic government.

This comes after Karanteng was quoted by royal linked Times of Eswatini and Swazi Observer in a series of articles supporting King Mswati and his Government, he was speaking during a retreat for Members of Parliament held in Mbabane.

The retreat where MPs and Swazis were allegedly urged by Dr Karonteng to support Mswati came after MPs in Marwick Khumalo and Timothy Myeni tried to register a pro-democracy motion that was rejected by Speaker Petros Mavimbela.

Eswatini is a tiny Kingdom situated in Southern Africa with about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, political parties are banned from participating in elections.

Mswati, who rules eSwatini as an absolute Monarch with Executive, Judiciary and Legislative powers, appoints and controls the Prime Minister, Judges, a majority of Senators and all members of the various Governing Councils.

Speaker in the House of Assembly Petros Mavimbela did not respond to our questions on the new developments.

Speaking to this Swaziland News online radio, Mbongseni Shabangu, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Party(SWADEPA) confirmed that they reported Dr Karanteng to his superiors in London.

“We reported him to the Commonwealth in London and they responded to us saying they will deal with him. Actually, one of the pillars of the Commonwealth is that countries affiliated to it must be democratic and this man is coming from a democratic country but he wants us to accept an undemocratic regime”, said the SWADEPA Secretary General.

Efforts to reach Dr Roger Koranteng proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

Reached for comments, Wandile Dludlu, the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) Secretary General said there was a possibility that Dr Roger Koranteng was strategically told to speak in support of the King’s regime.

“When other international organizations and individuals speak in support of democracy, Mswati’s government will quickly say these are eSwatini problems, they must be solved by Swazis.

Now, just because this one is supporting them, they are quiet, we know them, they have been doing this for a long time”, said the PUDEMO Secretary General.