Eswatini’s King Mswati III is facing intense backlash over his latest attempt to strangle media freedom in the kingdom.
The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) has slammed the king’s proposed media regulatory bill, which would grant the state control over independent journalism.
This move is part of a broader agenda to maintain Mswati’s grip on power, following the June 2021 unrest that exposed his insecurity.
The proposed bill would force journalists to obtain state-mandated licences - controlled by a state-owned commission whose members are allegedly hand-picked by the king - essentially silencing critical voices, the state would control independent journalism stifling free speech and public discourse; and lastly it would keep the people of Eswatini in the dark, according to SSN spokesperson Lucky Lukhele.
“This blatant censorship would ensure that no critical voices are heard, and the ruling elite remains unaccountable for their corruption and abuse,” Lukhele said.
He added the proposed media regulatory bill would be a threat to democracy.
“The SSN has called on the people of Swaziland to resist this oppressive policy, emphasising that it’s not just about protecting press freedom but fighting for the future of their nation. Mswati’s desperate attempts to cling to power will only lead to more unrest and instability.
“In a country where criticising the monarchy or the king is already forbidden, this move is a brazen violation of human rights.
Lukhele called for the international community to take notice and support the people of Eswatini in their “struggle for democracy and freedom… While the mainstream media has long been under the thumb of the state, the regime is now pushing to openly control and suffocate any remaining independent journalism through this proposed media regulatory bill.
“Since the historic June 2021 unrest, Mswati’s insecurity has been on full display. He has been hiring mercenaries to intensify surveillance and hunting down those who dare to speak against him. In his broader agenda to maintain his absolute stranglehold on power, he has now set his sights on silencing the last remaining critical voices in the country’s independent media,” Lukhele said.
He further said the move was part of a wider strategy to turn every media outlet into a government propaganda machine the right to be informed about one’s society.
“Such censorship ensures that there will be no accountability, no transparency and no space for public discourse. It’s a deliberate attempt to keep the people of Eswatini in the dark, and worse yet, to shield the ruling elite from facing the consequences of their corruption and abuse… As the Swaziland Solidarity Network, we call on the people of Swaziland to stand up and resist this oppressive policy by any means necessary.
He said it was not only about protecting the freedom of the press but about the fight for the future of the nation.
“Mswati needs to understand that democracy is the rightful destiny of every Swazi and that his desperate efforts to cling to power will only lead to more unrest and instability,” Lukhele said.
Efforts to reach government spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo were unsuccessful on Wednesday afternoon.
However, according to Swaziland News, Nxumalo, while responding to sanctions threats from the west due to unrest in the Kingdom, said they were unfazed.
“Let those who dream about the possibility of sanctions to be instruments of forcing States around the globe to dance to a certain political rhythm continue to do so, we wish them well in their dreams,” Nxumalo reportedly said.
The country’s stability has been volatile in recent years with King Mswati accused of silencing those that spoke out against him.
In July this year, the Human Rights Watch reported that a court in Eswatini sentenced two former MPs, Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, to prison terms of 25 and 18 years, respectively.
According to Human Rights Watch, the duo, during their detention, were reportedly physically attacked and denied access to medical care and to their lawyers.
The two were reportedly arrested during the pro-democracy protests that followed King Mswati issuing a decree in 2021 banning petitions to the government calling for democratic reforms. Security forces violently put down these protests, including with the use of live ammunition according to Human Rights Watch.
At least 46 people died during protests in June 2021, as reports of disproportionate and unnecessary use of force were condemned by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The Star