The second of Swazi Media Commentary’s monthly round-up of events in
Swaziland, aimed at giving information and analysis to those who support
the struggle for freedom in the kingdom, has been published.
Swaziland’s forthcoming undemocratic national election dominates this month. King
Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, in an
extraordinary speech at the opening of parliament, quoting a report from
the Pan-African Parliament, claimed that the international community
thought the Swazi system of governance was so good it should be followed
by other countries in Africa. But, in fact, the report said no such
thing: it said the opposite, stating that the banning of political
parties from elections did not meet ‘regional and international standards and principles for democratic elections’.
Elsewhere,
calls for the election to be boycotted by voters is growing and the
main opposition party PUDEMO (outlawed in Swaziland) is asking the
international community not to go to Swaziland as election observers.
The
king has yet to announce the date of the election, but that has not
stopped armed state police from stopping people talking about it. About
60 officers invaded a prayer meeting at a cathedral church in Manzini
calling it ‘political’. Police had no court order or warrant to take the
action, but claimed they did not need these: all that mattered was that
they suspected a crime would take place. Worshippers had gathered to seek spiritual reflection and guidance from the Bible prior to launching a discussion about the credibility of the election.
Elsewhere, Swaziland’s economy
continues to deteriorate, but the government refuses to acknowledge
this. In the annual budget delivered this month, Finance Minister Majozi
Sithole announced increases in the public sector salaries bill and a
cut in taxes. These measures
were the opposite of those recommended by the International Monetary
Fund, which is seeking to help Swaziland recover from its economic mess
so that it becomes eligible for international loans that could support
the economy.
Swaziland: Striving For Freedom, Vol 2. February 2013, is available free-of-charge on scribd dot com
is the second volume of information, commentary and analysis on human
rights taken from articles first published on the Swazi Media Commentary
blogsite in 2013. Each month throughout the coming year a digest of
articles will be published bringing together in one place material that
is rarely found elsewhere.
Swazi Media Commentary has no physical base and is completely
independent of any political faction and receives no income from any
individual or organisation. People who contribute ideas or write for it
do so as volunteers and receive no payment.
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