SWALIMO MPs to be worse than Malema - ‘ Gawuzela’
MBABANE - SWALIMO will behave worse than EFF Commander- In- Chief Julius Malema should its members be elected to Parliament.
This declaration was made by the Swaziland Liberation Movement ( SWALIMO) President, Mduduzi ‘ Gawuzela’ Simelane, during a live show dubbed ‘ Lets Engage’, which was hosted by six online media houses on Tuesday evening.
SWALIMO believes that Eswatini is at crossroads with only two options at her disposal. “It is either there is an all inclusive dialogue or the country will plunge into a civil war,” said the SWALIMO leader.
Simelane clarified that the impression that SWALIMO would participate in order to contribute to the growth of the Tinkhundla System of Government was far- fetched and completely missed the point of his organisation’s stand on the elections.
Simelane said those who differed with SWALIMO’s resolve on the means to bring down the system of government were failing to appreciate the concept of unity in divergence of opinions.
Simelane’s comparison with Malema comes at a time when the neighbouring State’s opposition party leader, together with members of his party, tried to prevent President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa from delivering his State of the Nation Address ( SONA), on the basis that his administration had failed to resolve the rolling power blackouts that are threatening the economic stability of the country.
Budget
Meanwhile, Simelane said SWALIMO MPs would not endorse the annual fiscal budget because, by so doing, it would be legitimising the Tinkhundla hegemony. Simelane was addressing the media together with SWALIMO’s Sydney Maseko and National Spokesperson Thantaza Silolo. Maseko also analysed that the party intended to win all 59 seats in Parliament, together with the four regional positions.
Justifying the SWALIMO position on participating in elections, he said opposition parties in Zimbabwe had also gained political traction after their resolve to go to the polls against the ruling Zanu PF. He said the SWALIMO strategy was scientifically proven to yield results. “If we are able to have 59 seats plus the four regional MPs in Parliament, then no Bill that is not worth passing will be allowed to go through,” he said.
Simelane said though SWALIMO ascribed to principles of peace, “This does not mean SWALIMO will not eventually resort to other means as was the case with the African National Congress in South Africa”. He said his party was totally opposed to the application of violent tactics for democratic changes. “SWALIMO does not threaten anyone,” he said.
Simelane recalled that some had associated his party with violence after the launch of the Swazis First Democratic Front ( SFDF) branch named after the late Muzi Mmema, but quickly said; “This is shocking because there is nothing that we need from the SFDF.” He continued to blame the State for the violence subjected on members of the mass democratic movement ( MDM), including the bombing of his house and that of PUDEMO President Mlungisi Makhanya last year.