By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: A high profile case involving two pro-democracy Members of Parliament(MPs) is receiving wide media coverage , however, State controlled journalists are not allowed to directly implicate King Mswati despite the availability of evidence suggesting that he issued an order to arrest them.

Court papers suggest that the two MPs, Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube filled an application for bail based on an electronic evidence implicating Mswati through the then Army Commander Jeffery Shabalala. 

But despite the court papers and the evidence circulating, the State controlled media avoids implicating Mswati who rules eSwatini as an absolute Monarch.

Reached for comments, Sicelo Mngomezulu, the South African Correspondent Attorney representing the pro-democracy MPs confirmed that the charges were allegedly masterminded by the powers that be.

“We stated that in the court papers as per the Shabalala evidence because we could understand why they should be denied bail based on trumped-up charges”, said the lawyer.

Welcome Dlamini, the President of the Swaziland National Association of Journalists(SNAJ) who doubles as a member of the King’s regiment(uMbutfo) had not shared a comment when asked to explain why the State controlled media was avoiding exposing the King despite that he allegedly issued an order to arrest the MPs for demanding democratic reforms on behalf of the people.

King Mswati allegedly instructed soldiers and the police to shoot and kill dozens of civilians merely for demanding democratic reforms.

The media is restricted from holding the absolute Monarch accountable despite that he is a Head of State and controls almost all institutions.

Speaking to this Swaziland News, Colani Maseko, the President of the Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) said even if the State controlled media could try to protect Mswati and attempt to divide the progressive movement, they would not succeed with the current generation.

“Maybe, they could have succeeded with the old generation, this is another generation that is fully aware of what is happening, they cannot just easily twist us”, said the Students Union President.