By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: “Mr Speaker, I will be the first one to join protesting Swazis in demand for democracy, the time for freedom has come”.

These were Parliament submissions by Hosea Member of Parliament Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza, a multi-millionaire who owns various Hardwares in eSwatini trading as Baceth Hardware, he declared himself ready for anything as he fought for the liberation of the people and was subsequently thrown behind bars by King Mswati.

Mabuza was charged with terrorism together with two other pro-democracy MPs Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Magawugawu Simelane, the latter fled to exile after information emerged suggesting that a warrant of arrest had been issued against them.

An electronic evidence released by this Swaziland News implicating the then Army Commander Jeffery Shabalala later exposed how the King issued an order to arrest the three(3) pro-democracy MPs who were critical of his government.

Reached for comments, Nkilongo MP Timothy Myeni who is critical of the current government said he was present in Parliament when MP Bacede Mabuza declared that he was ready to suffer for the people adding that he was motivated to see Mabuza standing firmly in his political beliefs.

“I was present in Parliament when he declared that he was ready for anything. This shows that the people are close to MP Bacede’s heart such that, despite being a multi-millionaire, he left his mansions and businesses and went to prison. The truth is,we can’t allow our children to live under the current oppressive environment, it should come to an end. The three MPs, Bacede, Mthandeni and Gawuzela proved that indeed, we are the last generation to be oppressed”, said the Nkilongo MP.

The pro-democracy MPs were arrested on 25th July 2021 and were subsequently denied bail by royal linked Judge Mumcy Dlamini, despite the availability of evidence suggesting that their arrest was politically motivated in that an order was issued by King Mswati.

Speaking to this publication in an earlier interview, human rights lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi said Constitutionally, all citizens were entitled to bail unless the State proved before the court that releasing the accused persons was not in the interest of justice.

“Bail is a constitutional right unless the State produces evidence suggesting that releasing the accused on bail is not in the interest of justice”, said the human rights lawyer.

Eswatini is a tiny Kingdom situated in Southern African and ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch, political parties are banned from participating in elections, the King appoints the Prime Minister, Ministers, a majority of Senators, Judges and all members of the various Governing Councils.

Citizens are only allowed to elect fifty-nine(59) Members of Parliament(MPs) and MPs who are critical of King Mswati and his Government are thrown behind bars on politically motivated criminal charges.

But the arrest of MP Mabuza and Dube escalated the calls for democratic reforms, school children, University students and leaders of the pro-democracy movement organized a series of protests demanding their release as political temperatures continued to rise in this tiny Kingdom.

Reached for comments, Mlungisi Mkhanya, the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) described MP Bacede Mabuza as the Bram Fischer of the people of Swaziland. He said the MP made huge sacrifices and risked his family and business empire by dedicating his life to fight for the liberation of the people.

“MP Bacede is like Bram Fischer who was a very successful Afrikaner Advocate in South Africa but he decided to suffer with the people and even represented freedom fighters like Nelson Mandela. We now have our Bram Fischer in Swaziland who, despite being successful in life, risked his business empire and family just to fight for the people. I am saying this because I was very close to the MP even before he was arrested and when he talked about this, you could hear that he was very passionate to see the people liberated. As Swazis we are honoured to have leaders like MP Bacede in our midst who can risk all they have just for the people”, said the PUDEMO President.