The situation remains tense in the Kingdom of Eswatini as pro-democracy groups intensify their protest and police use force to quell the situation.
Videos of police shooting at citizens are making rounds on social media platforms. The citizens have been protesting calling for democratic reforms and also the release of the two arrested Members of Parliament.
The two MPs, Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, were arrested and charged with terrorism in July.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that more than 80 people have been killed at the hands of security forces since the unrest broke out. A journalist in one of the newspapers in Eswatini, Zweli Dlamini says the situation is getting out of hand.
“Political temperatures are rising in this tiny kingdom of Eswatini, people are protesting demanding democratic reforms. Eswatini is ruled by King Mswati as an absolute monarchy the people are unable to elect their own government. For the past few months we have seen people escalating their demands for democratic reforms through a series of protests. The United Nations issued a statement calling upon both parties to resolve the political unrest,” Dlamini explains.
VIDEO: Pro-democracy protests continue in Eswatini
King Mswati must urgently initiate dialogue
A senior executive at Oxfam South Africa Thembinkosi Dlamini says eSwatini’s King Mswati must urgently initiate dialogue with pro-democracy protesters to avoid a further deterioration of the situation in the country.
Schools have been closed indefinitely in the country.
Before the closure of schools, learners had boycotted lessons and called for free education as well as an end to the King’s rule.
On June 28, people died in some of the worst unrest in the country’s history during clashes with police when shops were looted, and business properties ransacked.
Dlamini says what is happening in eSwatini could have been avoided.
