KWALUSENI:Salebona Simelane, the Registrar of the University of eSwatini(UNESWA)has written a memo informing staff members that the institution’s 2022 Graduation Ceremony has been cancelled.
“It is advised that due to unforeseen circumstances, the 2022 Graduation Ceremony of the University has been cancelled. The inconvenience caused is regretted,” reads the memo signed by the University Registrar,dated 08 November 2022
Reached for comments, Salebona Simelane, the Registrar of the University of eSwatini confirmed that the Graduation Ceremony has been cancelled, however, he asked not to share reasons behind the cancellation.
“It’s true that the graduation has been cancelled but I cannot share the reasons,” said the Registrar.
But insiders told this Swaziland News that the Graduation Ceremony has been cancelled as a result of the political unrest’s second wave,and the fact that Chancellor King Mswati was feeling unsafe to attend.
“The King is not feeling safe these days due to the ongoing political unrest, so he is not comfortable with attending the ceremony,” said the insider.
Speaking to this publication,Colani Khulekani Maseko, the President of the Swaziland National Union of Students(SNUS) said the cancellation of the graduation was victory to them adding that they wanted to disrupt it because of King Mswati’s presence.
“Students are struggling with no scholarships, allowances such that some had stopped attending classes due to hunger. We wouldn’t have allowed a King who unleashed his soldiers and the police to shoot us as students,merely for demanding allowances to then attend a graduation ceremony and shake hands with us. Mswati is no longer popular among the people and we don’t want him in any of the institutions of higher learning,”said the Students President.
King Mswati.