Introduction
The people of Swaziland have been gripped by two
numbing pictures these past few days; one is of a poverty stricken woman kneeling
in front of absolute monarch, Mswati, in full public view begging him for scholarship,
while the other is of women forced to kneel on spikey grass while delivering their
campaign messages to residents in the ongoing sham tinkhundla elections.
These pictures depict the deep levels of pain that the
people of Swaziland have had to endure under the tinkhundla system in order to
survive, while at the same time provide proof of the oppression that the people
continue to face under the iron grip of sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute
monarch. Additionally, they are some of the clearest pieces of evidence of the
oppression of women in Swaziland and the farce that the tinkhundla system is
with regard to women’s rights.
Kneeling young woman begs Mswati for
scholarship
Mswati’s propaganda newspaper, the Swazi Observer, recently
published a picture of a young orphaned lady on her knees in front of Mswati,
literally begging him for scholarship to pursue her tertiary studies. According to the paper, Mswati then ordered his Minister
of Commerce, Industry and Trade to ensure that she gets the scholarship. She
had for a very long moment been singing praises to Mswati while on her knees, offering
unconditional obedience and allegiance to him. She was understandably desperate
due to her poverty. Close to 70 percent of the people of Swaziland survive on
less than US$2 a day.
 |
| Mpilwenhle Matsebula begging Mswati (extreme left) for scholarship as Mswati and the rest of his officials look on (original picture in Swazi Observer) |
This is how Mswati would love to see the whole
population of Swaziland approaching him. While the right to education should be
respected, Mswati has forced the people to be so desperate as to beg for what
rightfully belongs to them. The people of Swaziland have continuously called
for free education up to at least the first Degree. Instead the Mswati regime continues
to drastically cut scholarships and has thereby reduced the right to education
to a mere commodity available only to the highest bidder.
Scholarship grants should never be a token to be used
by anyone against the people at any stage. Swaziland recently marked 50 years
of self-rule, yet the quality of life for the greater majority has been deteriorating
since 1968. It got even worse when the late Sobhuza II abrogated the constitution
on 12 April 1973, banned political powers, and bestowed all executive,
legislative and judicial powers upon him, declaring that from then on he would
rule buy decree, thereby creating the absolute monarch that still rules Swaziland
today. It is clear therefore that this “independence” belongs to no one but Mswati
and his family. The majority are still in slavery and have to beg for a slice
of bread in order to have energy to return and beg again the next day.
 |
| The story of Mpilwenhle Matsebula who fell on her knees and begged sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarch, Mswati, for scholarship - Swazi Observer hardcopy |
The Mswati autocracy has impoverished a whole nation while
spending almost exclusively on maintaining his lavish lifestyle. In April 2018
he stole from the public purse over E1 billion (about US$67 million) to celebrate
his 50th birthday. On his birthday he wore a wrist watch costing around
E24 million (US$1.6 million), a 6kg diamond-beaded suit and bought for himself
a second private jet worth over E500 million (about US$34 million) as a
birthday gift. These were in addition to more millions in public funds spent on
buying gifts for his many children, wives and friends. These monies could have
easily covered the educational and health needs of the people. But Mswati wants
them to beg!
Meanwhile, public clinics and hospitals in Swaziland have
run out of vital drugs and equipment because Mswati’s government claims it is
broke. Nurses have been engaged in protest actions demanding that the people’s
right to quality health care be respected.
Kneeling women beg for votes in
tinkhundla elections
The Communist Party of Swaziland has stated many times
that the tinkhundla elections do not empower anyone; that these elections’ sole
objective is to create a puppet parliament for the swift implementation of dictator
Mswati’s unilateral decisions. The pictures of kneeling women candidates during
campaigning sessions in many of the constituencies prove this point.
Women in many constituencies in Swaziland have been forced
to kneel while presenting their campaign messages, unlike their male counterparts
who have the freedom to stand if they wish or take any comfortable posture. For
over 10
minutes of presentation of their messages, the women had to kneel on the spikey
grass. By doing this, the Mswati
regime wants to remind women of their “place” and thereby systematically cut
them off public life.
 |
| Times of Swaziland newspaper clip showing women kneeling on spikey grass as they campaigned during tinkhundla elections |
This should be an eye-opener for those who still ignorantly
hold on to the belief that this year’s tinkhundla elections will be anything
different, let alone progressive, from previous ones. The end result of the tinkhundla
elections will be the further suppression and oppression of women. Women in Swaziland
are regarded as third class citizens. The Mswati autocracy is the chief violator
of women’s rights. Mswati’s chiefs in the communities and members of the Elections
Commission have been quoted numerous times saying that women should remain at
home and care for children and not destabilise families by contesting elections
or undertaking political work.
Conclusion
The Communist Party of Swaziland calls for the people
of Swaziland to stand up and fight for their dignity, to wage a relentless struggle
against the tinkhundla dictatorship. We will continue to contribute to such
fights and fight side by side with the oppressed majority. History will not be
kind to us if we beg for our freedom. We have no choice but to wage a
relentless people’s war against the Mswati autocracy and establish a democratic
people’s republic!
Issued by the Communist Party of Swaziland
Contact:
Kenneth Kunene
General Secretary
+27 72 594 3971
Or
Njabulo Dlamini
International Organiser
Mobile: +2687 603 9844
Email: cpswa.org@gmail.com
Facebook: Communist Party Of
Swaziland – CPS
Twitter: @CPSwaziland
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