The Eswatini (Swaziland) Government continues to use its police (Eswatini Police Force) force to victimise, torture, intimidate, jail and or kill anyone who advocates for democracy and human rights in Eswatini. If anyone publishes an article or campaigns for democracy that person is perceived as an enemy of the state. The police will be after such an individual, because they have powers to harass, intimidate, torture, arrest, jail or even kill such an activist for just promoting democracy.
 
On the 15th of May 2020 VOA News reported the plight of Swazi Journalist Eugene Dube and political activist Ncamiso Ngcamphalala who had been harassed and tortured by the police for publishing articles on democracy, they were told they had committed a crime as it was against the law to criticize the monarchy. The police went to Eugen Dube's home to search and they seized some of his personal items and he was detained for Nine hours. Dube ended up fleeing the country for fear for his life.
 
Ncamiso Ngcamphalala was arrested for criticising the king, and he was refused bail. He was charged with an offence under the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act of 1938. Unfortunately, since King Mswati III became king, there has been more oppression on freedom fighters and to those who campaign for democracy. The 1973 Decree, Sedition and Subversive Activities Act and the Suppression of Terrorism Act are used to silence pro-democracy fighters and activists. The Tinkundla System - the dual form of government (traditional and civil) - is designed to embrace everything the King wants or does, the citizens are not considered, the system ignores that Mswati III is the king because of the citizens, without the citizens he woul be a nobody.
 
There has been never be a dialogue between the government and the citizenry about democracy. The citizens are not considered, government is all about the king - the country belongs to the king, this and that belongs to the king, the people belong to the king etc - the citizens have to do what the king wants or says, whether it is right or wrong.
 
As for I, Zodwa Dlamini - a member of Swaziland Vigil UK - absolutely condemns what the Eswatini Police force are doing under the instruction of the king.  The police are to protect citizens, not to intimidate, harass , jail and kill them.  Every Swazi citizen is entitled to freedom of speech and of expression - which the police have no problem violating at this juncture. 
 
This violation of human rights has to stop.  All people have a right of freedom of speech and expression
 
By:
 
Zodwa Juliet Dlamini
 
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