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KING NOT IDEAL TO MEDIATE IN DIALOGUE - POLITICAL FORMATIONS

27/10/2021 09:14:00 BY SIBUSISO ZWANE

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MANZINI – Political parties are of the belief that the King may not be ideal to play a mediation role in the anticipated dialogue as he is Commander-In-Chief of the State security organs.

The political parties expressed this view subsequent to the announcement by Mbekelweni Indvuna Themba Ginindza, who on behalf of His Majesty King Mswati III, made an announcement that upon completion of Incwala, the Monarch would summon the nation to Sibaya. According to Section 232 (1), Sibaya (the Swazi National Council), the people through Sibaya constitute the highest policy and advisory council (Libandla) of the nation. Sub-section 2 of the Constitution states that Sibaya is the Swazi National Council constituted by Bantfwabenkhosi, the tikhulu of the realm and all adult citizens gathered at the official residence of the Indlovukazi under the chairmanship of Ingwenyama who may delegate this function to any official.

Functions

Also, Sub-section 3 states that Sibaya functions as the annual general meeting (AGM) of the nation, but may be convened at anytime to present the views of the nation on pressing and controversial national issues. Meanwhile, the political parties, through their leaders, said they did not want Sibaya as they were calling for a genuine, meaningful and inclusive dialogue. This dialogue, they said, should be held in a roundtable set-up, which shall be at a neutral venue. The political party leaders argued that Sibaya was usually chaired by the King, who could not be expected to play the mediation role in the ongoing unrest.

This, they supposed, was because the King was involved in the State security organs, by virtue of his position of being the Commander-In-Chief, which are implicated in the alleged shootings of unarmed citizens wherein some have died. Secretary General (SG) of the Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA) Mbongiseni Shabangu said the King, as Commander-In-Chief of State security organs, was purportedly part of the ongoing conflict. As such, Shabangu said, the King could not play a mediation role.

He said as SWADEPA and other pro-change organisations, they wanted a genuine and meaningful dialogue that would be underwritten and mediated by a neutral international organisation. Shabangu said basic principles of dialogue were also clear in terms of neutrality and in terms of the venue. He said in order for an inclusive dialogue to take place, the prerequisites included the unbanning of all political organisations and the removal of impediments.

Again, he said it should also be clear to organisations like the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that peace and stability would only be achieved once the nation attained its full democracy. “This means that we are not willing to give a breather to government until emaSwati get what they want. While waiting for this to happen, protest marches, international advocacy and any other means necessary will continue,” Shabangu said.

He emphasised that as SWADEPA and pro-change movements, they were ready and willing to engage in a meaningful dialogue, but not to be hosted by the same government that had allegedly oppressed emaSwati for almost five decades.

Negotiation

On the same note, the Peoples’ United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) Secretary General (SG) Wandile Dludlu concurred with his counterpart from SWADEPA. He said as a movement, they had set out the main steps in their policy document titled; ‘Towards a constituent assembly through a negotiation process’.

He said on the preliminary negotiation process, they needed to set up the agenda for the negotiations, identify an independent facilitator, set up a conflict/dispute mechanism and agree on time-frames for each stage. Dludlu said other steps included the reinstatement of the Bill of Rights, establishment of a national convention, unbanning of political parties and unconditional return of all political exiles. The political activist said the national convention’s main role would be to establish an interim authority to manage the negotiation process, set up guidelines for new elections and a new democratic Constitution.

“It shall comprise an all-inclusive forum,” the political activist said. Also, he said the constituent assembly would be a body elected by people to lead the process of a new Constitution for a new democratic Eswatini. “This is what we mean by dialogue, not the Sibaya setting,” Dludlu added. On the other hand, the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) President, Sibongile Mazibuko, said they expected a roundtable for the dialogue because Sibaya purportedly failed emaSwati for an extensive period.

Arrested

Mazibuko claimed that there was a man named William Mkhaliphi of Vuvulane, who was allegedly arrested after making submissions during Sibaya. “Now the situation is worse because people are being killed, which means things have escalated to a dangerous level,” Mazibuko claimed. She was referring to the shooting of protesters, allegedly by security personnel, in recent weeks. Additionally, she said Sibaya usually did not afford the citizenry an opportunity to formulate resolutions while it (Sibaya) did not issue reports to the people. This, she said, resulted in a poor implementation process of what was being deliberated on. In that regard, she said they wanted a dialogue where all parties would be equal. Subsequent to this, Mazibuko said they would implement a three-month long programme which the Political Party Assembly (PPA) would tomorrow issue a statement about.

She said as the NNLC, they would intensify the struggle until the authorities agreed to meet them halfway. “There is no going back now,” she said. On the same note, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Swaziland Spokesperson, Siphelele Nkomondze said as an organisation, their stand was clear regarding the matter. He said they were calling for a roundtable dialogue, not a Sibaya monologue. He said Sibaya was not the kind of dialogue they were calling for and as such, they stood to reject such a call. He argued that history had taught them that the Sibaya supposedly failed emaSwati on countless occasions for a very long time in strictly addressing matters affecting the populace.

As a result, he said it had been said that emaSwati only go there kuyotihhamula (blow off steam), meaning no concrete solutions came out of that platform. “Again, Sibaya is not the rightful platform for an inclusive and honest dialogue which can give political solutions to the political problems we are facing as the oppressed people of the Kingdom of Eswatini,” Nkomondze said. In their view, he said Sibaya only encouraged people to make submissions to the King on their individual capacities, not representing any societal group or formation. Considering that, he said dialogue could not be mere submissions to an individual, but a two-way of proposals between two equal partners, not unless it was a monologue which, as an organisation, they were not calling for.

Disappointment

On another note, Nkomondze registered their disappointment on the SADC special envoy that came to the country recently, led by former SA minister Jeff Radebe. He said they were disappointed in the manner they handled this volatile matter of the current political unrest as according to the analysis, they failed to treat it as a matter of urgency and bring practical political solutions.

“We call on SADC to take the people of Eswatini seriously before the situation escalates to an uncontrollable state as volatile as it is. The people of the kingdom are clear on what they want,” the political activist said. As they move forward, Nkomondze said as an organisation they would intensify the struggle. He said they would go out to put more pressure on government.