‘Undemocratic’ Britain ruled us without elections - Percy
LOZITHA – Percy 6imelane, the 'irector of &ommuni cations in the King’s Office, has said Britain did not leave any political or democratic legacy in Eswatini or $frica.
Responding to the early day motion filed by a British MP in the 8K Parliament, 6imelane said Britain left a trail of crimes against humanity.
He said 8K was a signatory to the &aroline &onstitution of 1 that gave slave trade a green light.
When the British ruled Eswatini, the director said the sword of command did not change hands and there were no elections.
He said it would be quite a challenge to listen to a nation whose democracy was collapsing. Having three prime ministers in just two months, he said, was pointer to ad ministrative failure.
He mentioned that the MP’s case in question was before a court of law. He said Eswatini had qualified and expe rienced men and women of honour in the -udiciary, who were tasked by law to handle the case. Therefore, he said taking orders from the British Parliament to release the MPs would be a µcrying scandal.’ He said the King has just returned from business excursions, in $bu 'habi, Taiwan and 'ubai.
He explained that he was overseas to market the country to secure investments that would, as usual, benefit most the Eswatini people.
TRAVEL BAN
“&lipping his wings through a travel ban is, therefore, a direct attack on the nation that benefit from the job op portunities that come with the investments that the King secures abroad during his travels,´ he said.
'uring the -une -uly 2021 political unrest, he said 400 businesses were torched by protesters, resulting in loss of
000 jobs. However, he stated that Eswatini has been able to create 1 000 jobs in the last two years. He further men tioned that the King has led his government in ensuring growth of job opportunities in the country.
He lamented that the British Parliament was hell bent on throwing spanners in the path of His Majesty the King. He said democracy was about people freely defining their destiny and not about former colonial masters µbarking’ orders from above.
He added that the envisaged national dialogue was the country’s way of democratic and political lives of ema6wati.
“It is not an invention by the British or any other nation,´ he said.
6imelane said they, therefore, considered the decision to impose a ban on the King’s business travels a projection of substandard politics on the part of the British Parliament.