KWALUSENI:University students in the Kingdom of Eswatini are being forced to write their examination while surrounded by the police.
This comes after King Mswati’s failed to release students allowances and subsequently unleashed the army and the police to shoot protesting students.
Colani Maseko, the President of the Swaziland National Union of Students(SNUS) who was leading the protests, was abducted by soldiers and tortured at a river next to Engabezweni Palace.
Maseko was subsequently hospitalized at Manzini Mkhiwa Clinic with serious injuries.
Reached for comments, Philile Mavuso, the Students Union Deputy President said as University students, they needed allowances not State police officers and soldiers while writing exams.
“We are aware that they don’t value education like we do because to them everything comes on a silver plate at the expense our parents’ sweat and blood.But we can assure this Government that we will do whatever it takes to fight for our education because we know the solution towards this is multi party democracy”,said the Students Union Deputy President.
Superintendent Phindile Vilakati,the Police Spokesperson had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments on Wednesday, Dr Salebona Simelane, the Registrar of the University of Eswatini(UNESWA) said the police were at the University to maintain law, order and further provide security to the students.
“The police are here as per our request to provide security to the students following the previous incidents, they are not fighting anyone.You will recall that some students threatened that there would be no exams, they would disrupt everything and we felt we must provide security to the students who want to write their exams. Everything is fine here, police are not fighting anyone, they are chatting with us and the students, they are just here to do their job, which is to provide security,” said the Registrar of the University of Eswatini.
Police were deployed at Kwaluseni University of Eswatini.