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MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY IN 24 MONTHS – BUSI MAYISELA

11/12/2022 07:35:00 Mhlonishwa Motsa

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MBABANE – Busi Mayisela’s new political party, Swazis First Democratic Front (SFDF) has set a 24-months target for attaining multiparty democracy in the country.

This was revealed by Mayisela, who officially assumed the position of founding president during the launch. In her maiden address, Mayisela said their assignment as a political party was to ensure that the multiparty democracy was achieved by December 2024.

“We have but only one assignment. In the next 24 months the Tinkhundla regime must be a thing of the past. It is clear that we have but only one solution to the political challenge we are facing, that is to seek robust ways of pushing and pulling the regime to the round table. That needs our young men and women to stand up and be counted, it calls for them to stand ready since the issue has now turned to a do or die situation,” said Mayisela.

Political situation

She further revealed that the name of the political party would be Swazis First Democratic Front (SFDF). She said they were cognisant of the current political situation in the country. Mayisela stated that as an organisation they assessed the situation and realised that their first call should be the unbanning of political parties, which would allow them to participate in national elections as organisations.

“We are aware that in the country political parties are not legally allowed to contest power and form a government or participate in government. The SFDF aims to collaborate with all liberation stakeholders, with the sole purpose to realise a multiparty democracy, as well as provide civic education in preparation for a socially just and democratic government. As means to direct the strategy and tactics of the political party, we have set objectives, which include enhancing the realisation of a multiparty democracy in Eswatini by December 2024.

We also intend to increased engagements with international partners and stakeholders in building solidarity networks for the liberation of emaSwati. We want to improved democracy and civic education in communities, in preparation for a democratic dispensation and to also expand awareness for social responsibility and human rights in the country,” she said.

Mayisela said the organisation was calling for the people to unite and increase the pressure on government to dialogue. “Liberation, as it has been said, is not a fruit that falls when it is ripe. We need to make the ‘fruit’ of our liberation fall and that means we need to commit to the only alternative that we all did not wish for but it is the only alternative. The political party we are here to launch today in this auspicious occasion. One would ask, if there are political parties, why found another one instead of joining any of the existing ones? That question needs to be answered in the most genuine way possible. As Swazis we are advocating for a multiparty dispensation and the first valid reason is simple, the right to freedom of conscious, expression and association. That could have been achieved in the other political parties and that brings us to the core reason, the issue of ideology,” she added.

She said the SFDF had spotted a gap in ideology on pragmatic and the bold social democratic approach to politics that deals with issues of social justice and economic freedom. She said their target was to address issues affecting women, the youth, workers and the environment. Mayisela said they were built upon the ideology of democratic socialists and were therefore calling for social democracy.

“It has been said that a revolutionary with no ideology is nothing but criminal. Social democracy has proven to be the solution across continents where it is being practiced mainly in the Nordic countries and Europe. The values of social democracy are universal and they sit well with being African as they promote the idea that ‘you are because we are’, that is ‘umuntfu ngumuntfu ngebantfu’. The SFDF believes in communal, that is, social justice approach in dealing with the political and economic issues facing our country, continent and the world, and the SFDF is canvassing and advocating for a socially just and democratic society,” she said.

Justice for each liSwati

Mayisela explained that the name of the organisation was a simple way of sending the message across, that justice for each and every liSwati was their priority. She said the people of Eswatini were their priority and would take pre-eminence in all their plans. Mayisela said the name made it a lifetime agenda for every member of the SFDF to consider the people first. She said members of the organisation were considered to be servants of one another and ambassadors of social justice and economic freedom for each other.

“This should be and remain in the DNA of the political party to prioritise policies, agendas and actions that consider emaSwati’s welfare first ahead of their own. I, therefore, urge all the members present here today that in the SFDF, leadership is servant-hood, and you literally work for the people. It is for that reason that we shall be holding a National Conference to elect a new leadership for the SFDF within six months from today. All the members here are expected to assist the interim National Executive Committee to prepare for that National Conference,” she said.

Mayisela further encouraged the members present at the launch that they were to mobilise members in wards, branches and regions. She said as a collective, the members needed to identify a minimum of three strong leaders that would come as delegates to the inaugural congress. She said their intention was to get all issues around leadership to be solidified so they could focus on the strategic plan for the liberation of the country.

Read the documents

“I urge the members to read the documents here provided today as they are guidelines to how best we can work in the SFDF. You are going to leave this launch today having in your hand the founding principles that is our manifesto, constitution, policy statements, strategy and tactics. These documents are hereby presented to you as working documents that will help guide us all as we set up this political party that will be expected by Swazis to operate with integrity,” she added.

She mentioned that the NEC had identified regional coordinators, women and youth presidents. Mayisela said these leaders were expected to work with speed to identify the rest of the leaders and utilise the guiding documents.
She added that her NEC was ready to assist in setting up the structures below the leadership. She added that all structures were to be put in place for a period of six months. She further warned the leaders against participating in social media fights.

“On the issue of Facebook squabbles, we are not expecting any member to practice the detestable ‘kugudla’ or ‘kugudlana’ in the name of defending the SFDF. Comrades, the leaders of SFDF and the political party itself does not need to be defended by using vulgar language and slurs on Facebook or any other social media platform. Others can do it but we cannot because emaswati are part of us despite political affiliation. Always remember our values; freedom, equality, solidarity, diversity and fairness. I want to thank the members of SFDF, who upon hearing the aspirations to found a new political party, they did not know even the name but they chose to join the political party anyway,” she said. Mayisela received support from the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) among other parties that attended the unveiling of the new political party.