By Zweli Martin Dlamini

It is very disturbing to see the State controlled media systematically de-campaigning pro-democracy leaders with an intention of manipulating the minds of unsuspecting citizens to accept or perceive royal supremacy as democratic.

On Sunday, the Times Sunday published a story under the headline “LaZwide leaves out democracy topic in campaign speech”.

The headline was not only misleading but intended to weaken the support of the Swaziland Liberation Movement(SWALIMO) Mduduzi Magawugawu Simelane’s wife within the pro-democracy movement.

Perhaps, it is important to clarify that aspiring Member of Parliament(MP)Nomalungelo Simelane(LaZwide) did not ignore the democracy topic, in her speech, she touched on community development being the lifeblood of democracy.

It is important for State journalists to capacitate themselves on issues of democracy.

The struggle for democracy is not only confined on “multi-party”, it means freedom, equality, social and economic development for a better life for all.

Community development is the lifeblood of democracy because it seeks to empower the citizens at grassroots level, by extension, those financially empowered citizens will be able to send their children to school and or Universities who will then become future learned and or vibrant political leaders.

It is practically impossible to speak about democracy without touching on issues of poverty,youth and women empowerment among others.

Furthermore,in politics, you speak the language that could be understood by the audience you are targeting, you cannot address a community meeting and speak in a  completely different political language.

LaZwide did not leave the democracy topic in her campaign speech, she spoke a democracy language that was easily understood by the audience she was addressing, people want services in the rural areas.

In conclusion, it is important to state that personally as a pro-democracy journalist,I am not a supporter of Tinkhundla elections, this system is cruel and manipulative.

But despite my political views against this system, I support any effort that seeks to usher this country into a new democratic dispensation.

I sometimes wish loyalists of this cruel system could understand democracy, in this journey we agree to disagree.

This article is not defending Nomalungelo Simelane(LaZwide) but correcting or countering a systematic de-campaigning motive against a woman with links to the pro-democracy movement.

The media must criticize with fairness and with an intention to correct wrongdoing, we cannot allow the systematic de-campaigning of LaZwide in favour of pro-Tinkhundla candidates.

The people of Siphofaneni who are pro-democratic and support LaZwide must guard against misleading articles from the State controlled media, community development is the lifeblood of democracy, it enhances service delivery.