MBABANE: Sivumelwano Nyembe, the Spokesperson of the MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF) says, the Kingdom of eSwatini is celebrating a non-existing independence.
In a public statement sent to this Swaziland News on Wednesday, the Spokesperson said, independence signifies a state where individuals can fully enjoy the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Regrettably, this ideal does not align with the present reality in Swaziland. Consequently, the commemorations on September 6th, 2023, serve as a poignant reminder of a historical transition of power from a colonial white minority to the royal family.On April 12th, 1973, Swaziland’s populace had their right to establish a meaningful government forcibly revoked. Subsequently, efforts have been made to involve the public in the country’s administration without genuine governance, often resorting to the use of force to consolidate power within the royal family.For Swaziland to achieve sustainable peace and prosperity, a return to democracy and addressing past injustices becomes imperative. The path to peace entails the execution of a five-point plan, encompassing internationally mediated political dialogues, the unconditional unbanning of political parties, the establishment of a Transitional Executive Government, the formulation of a new democratic constitution, and the introduction of a new multiparty democratic system”, reads the statement in part.
The Spokesperson said the pursuit of democracy and human rights “is a shared global objective”’that necessitates unwavering commitment to effect meaningful change.
“Presently, the country operates with a political system that lacks respect for the principle of the separation of powers, resulting in a feeble Parliament and a non-independent judiciary. This has hindered the government from implementing effective public policies, contributing to high poverty levels, around 60 percent, and soaring unemployment, particularly among the youth, at approximately 58 percent. Moreover, the country grapples with limited scholarship opportunities; a collapsing health system marked by frequent shortages of medicines and drugs, and flagrant human rights violations,” said the MSF Spokesperson through the statement.
Eswatini is ruled by Mswati as an absolute Monarch, political parties are banned from participating in elections, political activists and human rights defenders are arrested, tortured or even killed for demanding democracy.
MSF leaders during a recent SADC Summit.