By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:King Mswati, an absolute Monarch is once again on international spotlight as his undemocratic Government intensify attempts to regulate and silence the media.

This comes a few days after his unelected Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini through Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo, stopped the Breakfast Meeting with editors after being questioned by Bheki Makhubu, the independent minded editor of the Nation Magazine on issues of vital public interest.

On Thursday,The Star newspaper reported that, Mswati “is intensifying moves to regulate and silence the media” this has been vigorously denied by the Government.

But the King’s Government has a documented history of shutting down independent newspapers including arresting, torturing and sending journalists who demand accountability of public power to exile.

Bheki Makhubu, the editor of the Nation Magazine who recently questioned the Prime Minister on issues of vital public interest, was once convicted merely for writing an article criticizing the Judiciary including the breakdown in the administration of justice.

Musa Ndlangamandla, the then Swazi Observer Chief Editor fled to exile after the police raided his offices in Mbabane seeking to arrest him on terrorism charges merely for, interviewing leaders of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) and the Swaziland Solidarity Network(SSN), branded as terrorists by the Government.

Recently, the King’s undemocratic Government intensified the moves to completely silence the media after announcing the cancellation of a Breakfast Meeting with editors and this, was after the Prime Minister became emotional and/or angry after being questioned “when will Government provide drugs in public hospitals?”.

Eswatini is not a democracy, political parties are banned from participating in elections while draconian laws including the Suppression of Terrorism Act are used to silence the media, free expression and fight efforts democratize the tiny Kingdom.

But subsequent to the article published by The Star, Alpheous Nxumalo, the Government Spokesperson released a press statement on Friday afternoon, vigorously defending the King amid international accusations regarding the ongoing muzzling of the media.

“The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini wishes to express displeasure at the inaccuracies of the article published by the highly esteemed The Star newspaper on the 19 September, 2024 under the headline ‘Eswatini King in new bid to stifle freedom of the media’. To begin with, His Majesty the King does not pilot bills in our legislative process. This is the responsibility of Cabinet Ministers and Parliament, where bills are openly debated and passed. Having said that, Government wishes to categorically state that there is currently no bill before Parliament that seeks to unduly regulate the media in Eswatini with a view to muzzle the press, as the article claims”, reads the statement in part.

Worth-noting, the Government Spokesperson when clarifying the article published by The Star, literally lied and provided misleading information as Government “is currently pushing” the Media Bill with an alleged intention to regulate and silence the media.

The Bill was previously rejected or challenged by the independent media and the civil society, Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu wrote a series of articles challenging the Bill.

But Prime Minister Russell Dlamini publicly announced that, Government will once again,push the Bill and regulate the media, he “has been at loggerheads with Information Minister Savannah Maziya” who told Parliament that Government’s decision to regulate the media will undermine media freedom.

On another note, the Bill seeks to empower Government to decide who must practice as a journalist in eSwatini and, under the proposed Bill, those who challenge the King’s undemocratic Government risk being banned from practicing as journalists.

But apart from that, journalists in eSwatini are censored and restricted from reporting critically including posing critical questions to the King, Prime Minister, members of the royal family and/or Cabinet Ministers during press conferences.

King Mswati’s brother Prince Mbuyisa, a member of the Land Management Board(LMB) and ex-convicted rapist, ordered editor Bheki Makhubu to apologize to the King for questioning the King’s appointed Prime Minister and asking critical questions.

The Prince told the Swazi Observer, a newspaper with alleged links to Mswati last week that, by challenging the PM, editor Makhubu was actually challenging the authority of the King.

Journalists in eSwatini are fined cattle for questioning those in power particularly those who were appointed by Mswati into positions of significant trust.

The PM recently reminded journalists about what he described as patriotism, he threatened to walk-out and leave the recent Breakfast Meeting with editors last week, when heavily questioned by the media.

“We agreed with the Chairman of the Editors Forum that such meetings are supposed to be for Government and all editors, to positively engage and must not degenerate to such a level. If such things continue to happen, we will walk-out and never come back again until we receive assurance that, this will never happen again”, said the Prime Minister.

Eswatini is an absolute Monarchy that disregard democratic principles and values, the country is marred by rampant corruption and a culture of impunity as Government intensify moves to completely silence the media through the proposed Media Bill.