HOSEA PUPILS ABANDON LESSONS, COMMEMORATE MPS ARREST

NHLANGANO – Hosea primary and high school pupils abandoned lessons yesterday and marched over 15 kilometres to Hluti in commemoration of one year since MPs Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube were incarcerated.

The pupils informed this publication that they held the commemoration by marching to Hluti Police Station to demand answers of a petition they delivered to the police last year, demanding the release of incarcerated Hosea and Ngwempisi Members of Parliament (MPs), among other things.
Speaking to the Times of Eswatini, the Head Teacher of Hosea Primary School said as soon as they started lessons in the morning, Hosea High School pupils entered the primary school premises and disturbed lessons. The high school pupils, according to the head teacher, persuaded the primary school learners to join them, and they did.

Commemoration

She said the pupils informed them that yesterday marked a year since the two MPs were arrested, hence the commemoration. “They marched with the primary school pupils towards Hluti,” she said. Along the way, the pupils were singing political songs. Upon arrival at Hluti, they were joined by some elderly women, who were seen dancing and further went with them to the police station. At the police station, they were attended to by the station commander and desk officer who were recently posted to Hluti Police Station. It was said that the pupils were told that the new station commander and desk officer knew nothing about the said petition but promised to enquire from their bosses.

The pupils reminded the police officers about the contents of the petition they delivered last year. Among the issues was that of the MPs’ release. They told the officers to stop assaulting unarmed protestors; that police were supposed to leave Hosea residents alone and stop raiding and destroying their fields, among other things. The pupils also told this publication that they would return to the police station in two weeks for an update from the station commander.“We are not going to continue learning until we get the responses,” narrated one of the pupils.Shiselweni Regional Education Officer (REO) Siboniso Gumbi confirmed that lessons were disturbed at Hosea primary and high schools as pupils protested.

“We were called by the head teacher and we advised that she locks the gate and ensure the property of the school was safe,” said Gumbi.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that they attended to Hosea primary and high schools pupils yesterday. She declined to divulge information on the response they gave to the pupils.

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