Ncamiso Ngcamphalala, President of the Economic
Freedom Fighters-Swaziland (EFF), has been charged with sedition for criticisms
he made of absolute monarch King Mswati III on the Swati Newsweek website.
Last month, Eugene Dube, the Swati Newsweek editor,
was
arrested, tortured by police and threatened with a charge of treason for
publishing the report.
In the report Ngcamphalala was quoted saying, ‘We want
government to change people’s lives, the Swazi Monarchy must know its place.
We respect the King, but respect is earned and when pushed into a corner; we
will be forced to retaliate. We unapologetically stand for multi-party
democracy.’
In Swaziland (eSwatini), King Mswati chooses the Prime
Minister and government ministers as well as top judges and civil servants.
Political parties cannot take part in elections and groups campaigning for
democratic reforms are banned under the Suppression
of Terrorism Act.
Ngcamphalala was interviewed by Swati Newsweek for
a report on the Economic Freedom Fighters-Swaziland which had recently set
up in the kingdom. He said the party was inspired by the socio-economic
situation of the people of eSwatini. Seven in ten of the 1.3 million population
live in abject poverty.
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Ncamiso Ngcamphalala, President of the Economic
Freedom Fighters-Swaziland
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He said members came from a number of occupations and
also included student activists and trade unionists.
In
the report published on 14 April 2020, he said, ‘What
sets us apart from the other parties is our manner of approach. We believe in a
table of dialogue through mobilizing people from the streets at grassroots
level. We are ready to fight for the rights of workers, students and the
unemployed as we are a militant, anti-capitalist and anti-dictatorship
movement. We are an all-inclusive movement, and we will use the constitution
where it serves justice but challenge it when it does not serve the people.’
Ngcamphalala was charged under the Sedition and
Subversive Activities Act of 1938
The
charge sheet said he ‘did unlawfully promote feelings of
ill-will and hostility between the inhabitants of eSwatini by uttering
seditious words which then published, printed, or distributed or reproduced
through a Swati Newsweek Newspaper’.
See also
Swaziland
journalist critical of absolute monarch, beaten, arrested, faces treason charge
‘No
media freedom’ in Swaziland, Reporters Without Borders annual report states
Swaziland
journalist ‘tortured by police after criticising absolute monarch in newspaper
articles’
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-journalist-tortured-by-police.html
Newspaper editor flees Swaziland for second time after arrest and police torture
Newspaper editor flees Swaziland for second time after arrest and police torture
‘Attempt
made to poison journalist critic of Swaziland’s absolute monarch,’ editor says
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