By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Civil society organizations in eSwatini are currently struggling financially after United States(US) President Donald Trump halted donor funding with the Tinkhundla regime strengthening measures to monitor money coming into eSwatini to support NGOs specializing on human rights advocacy.

It is alleged that, the eSwatini Government strengthened the monitoring of funds after the June 2021 political unrest.

Thembinkhosi Dlamini, the Executive Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations(NGOs) previously confirmed that, civil society organizations are struggling subsequent to the recent halting of funding by US President Donald Trump.

“The Executive Order came into being at the time when donor funding was already scarce, some NGOs have closed,” he said.

Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli declined to comment about the matter.

It is alleged that, the Tinkhundla Government went as far as thretening some international partners who were supporting the NGOs believed to be behind human rights advocacy.

Zweli Martin Dlamini,the editor of this Swaziland News said Alec Lushaba, the then editor of the Financial Times now Hhukwini Member of Parliament(MPs) contacted the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa(OSISA) urging them to stop funding this publication, labeling it a terrorist entity.

“The donors forwarded me Lushaba’s message but I stopped him from his nonsense. He pretended to be a journalist yet the message was directing the donors to stop funding the Swaziland News, he was working for the Tinkhundla while disguising as a journalist. But he failed because OSISA continued to fund this publication even after he contacted them, they understood that, the terrorism proscription was a strategy by the Government to discourage donors. But I felt that, despite his failed efforts I must teach him a lesson because if someone went as far as fighting you while you are in exile, in the wilderness, it means that person and those he is working with are cruel and, you shouldn’t be soft against them otherwise you will die of starvation while they enjoy life,” said the editor.

The editor said he understood the strategy by the regime to collapse this publication financially and, quickly strengthened relations with other international partners including Embassies where the Tinkhundla regime will struggle to reach or influence.