‘ Sigubhu’s funeral turns into political rally ...
‘‘ You can elect an MP after another but under this system, nothing will change. I have trust that we will achieve our mammoth task of having an elected PM.”
LOMAHASHA – Lomahasha Member of Parliament ( MP) Ndumiso Masimula has implored the country’s youth to lobby their respective MPs to support a probable motion for constitutional reforms.
In his address to more than 3 000 people who attended a funeral for Mxolisi ‘ Sigubhu’ Nyoni at Lomahasha yesterday, the MP said the future of the country was in the hands of young people.
He said it was for this reason that he supported their call for democratic reforms in the country.
The youth is expected to also attend another funeral this morning. They will lay to rest Sifiso ‘ Mpostoli’ Masilela, who was also allegedly shot dead last week by a police officer, Nkosinathi ‘ Twenty’ Dlamini. Dlamini was based at Lomahasha Police Station.
The police officer was arrested and charged with double murder. He was subsequently suspended from work by National Police Commissioner William Dlamini.
Meanwhile, MP Masimula urged the youth to continue fighting for their rights as they were allegedly close to getting what they wanted. He said they wanted to possess what belonged to their forefathers.
He further urged them to continue putting pressure on their representatives in Parliament to intensify the call for political reforms.
The Lomahasha MP openly declared his support for the call for
democratic reforms in the country. He joined other legislators subscribing to the same ideology, who included Nkilongo MP Timothy Myeni, Mtsambama MP Simosakhe Shongwe, Hosea MP Mduduzi ‘ Bacede’ Mabuza, Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi ‘ Gawuzela’ Simelane and Ngwempisi MP Mthandeni Dube.
The funeral service was held at Lomahasha Sports Ground.
SUPPORT
The Lomahasha youth got support from their colleagues hailing from the other three regions, namely Manzini, Shiselweni and Hhohho.
Also present were members of political parties which included Swaziland Democratic Party ( SWADEPA), People’s United Democratic Movement ( PUDEMO), EFF Swaziland, Swaziland United Democratic Front ( SUDF) and Ngwane National Liberatory Congress ( NNLC).
PUDEMO President Mlungisi Makhanya, MP Masimula and Lomahasha Youth Leader Siboniso Mkhabela led the youth in a march after the funeral to deliver a petition to the Lomahasha Police Station Commander, Philip Tsabedze.
“We came here to support and mourn one of our own and a young life that was still to contribute to the future of the country and its economy. He is among those who have allegedly died in the hands of the police but I want to assure the family that we are about to cross that bridge and it appears close from now,” he said.
“I would like to ask the youth and all emaSwati to ask for votes from their respective MPs so that the change we are calling for is accomplished.”
Masimula added: “We need all the votes from the elected 59 MPs so that we win the motion that seeks to usher the country into a new constitutional dispensation. If this motion passes, it will lead the country to a democratic State.”
The MP further noted that the current government under the Tinkhundla System has done nothing to improve livelihoods such as delivering services to the country’s masses, particularly the youth.
He said his constituency had water scarcity and bad road infrastructure, which were some of the indicators of poor service delivery that the country’s system of government had displayed.
“You can elect an MP after another but under this system, nothing will change. I trust that we will achieve our mammoth task of having an elected prime minister who will be accountable to the people who put him or her into that position,” he said.
POWER FAILURE
He chanted slogans such as “amandla awethu, lelive ngeletfu, lomnotfo ngewetfu, ( translated as power is ours; the country is ours and the economy is ours.”
In his remarks, PUDEMO President Makhanya joked about a power failure that disturbed proceedings; saying certain people somewhere had decided to disconnect it. But, he vowed to continue addressing them without an aid of a microphone.
However, electricity was restored a couple of minutes while he was on stage addressing the mourners.
The president told the youth that he had been informed that some leaders of political parties did not attend the funeral because they were prevented from doing so by the police, who manned roadblocks to ensure they did not pass to Lomahasha.
“Sigubhu has been killed by the regime and he was killed while also fighting for a change in the way emaSwati are governed. I would like to salute comrades Sigubhu, Mario, Jan, Noxolo and many others who have died for the struggle,” said Makhanya.
“Their ultimate death was their sacrifice for change in the way we are ruled hence we have to take the baton and move forward with it until we accomplished our dreams.”
He added, “Our struggle is to free the country from the government that allows drunken police officers to kill us with the guns bought with taxpayers’ money.”
“We are not refugees in our own country, which we inherited from our forefathers. We will never rest until the regime is conquered. Let me appeal to every young liSwati that this is a struggle for you. We have been enslaved for a long time and we say ‘ enough is enough.”