Chiefs must not be involved in politics, Troika told

MBABANE – Traditional chiefs must not be i nvolved i n the country’s politics.

This is because they allegedly see themselves as an extension of the monarchy. This is according to a submission proposed by the Free Eswatini Diaspora ( FED) to the SADC Troika Fact- Finding Mission technical team, which left the country yesterday.

In their submission, the FED stated that chiefs suppressed dissenting views when it came to the country’s political discourse.

They further alleged that some chiefs had evicted families from their ancestral lands just because they held differing views.

Concessions

Commenting on Sibaya, FED’s representative Qhawekazi Khumalo informed the Troika team that in the intervening years, the monarchy had tried to give concessions to the people of Eswatini, but this had been due to the pressure of the banned political parties and trade unions and other motive forces like students and some progressive clergy.

“He has done this through the undemocratic and unaccountable process of Sibaya ( royal kraal meetings) wherein the discussions are manipulated,” it was submitted. The group went on to state that there was no quantitative method of recording what was said and discussed.

It was stated that the King’s representatives ran the process and they strategically allowed the pro- monarchy attendants to speak, shouted down and intimidated those with dissenting voices.

The Troika team was informed that one old man whose farm was taken by the State in the Lubombo Region had been intimidated by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service for voicing out his concerns.

The group said they hoped that the SADC Troika’s involvement in the Eswatini political crisis would lead to a meaningful dialogue that would bring a lasting peaceful solution to the country.

The group said government, which was under the hands of the then Acting Prime Minister, Themba Masuku, would in future have to account for their actions or lack thereof that caused pain to the people of Eswatini.

On the June/ July 2021 recent unrest, they alleged that these had been caused by the misrule of the country which had created untold suffering to the people of Eswatini. “The poverty levels are very high, unemployment is in disproportional levels, HIV AIDS is prevalent and healthcare and its facilities have collapsed,” they stated.

It was alleged that employment was reserved for some members of the royal family and those close to the monarchy.

“This has led to despondence and hopelessness among the population. While the population is living below the poverty line and in abject poverty, some are living in opulence,” the fact- finding mission was informed.

It was submitted that emaSwati were worse of because of vanity projects like the International Convention Centre and Five Star Hotel ( ICC& FISH) where billions of Emalangeni were spent.

Farms

They further highlighted that government grabbed farms from ordinary citizens while projects meant for the people like the Nhlangano- Sicunusa Roads had not been completed. FED submitted that these actions were the ones which had fermented anger and resentment among the population.

“This anger and hopelessness had manifested itself through the demand for political reforms,” they said.

It was submitted that these included the calls by the three Members of Parliament; Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi Simelane, Hosea MP Bacede Mabuza and Ngwempisi MP Mthandeni Dube who called for a democratic election of the prime minister.

The Troika team was further informed that government, seeing the tide of community marches, decided to ban the petition deliveries in the political constituent offices. “When the population went ahead to deliver such petitions, government set the police and later soldiers against the citizens,” it was stated.