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GOVT’S CLUES ON THULANI’S POSSIBLE KILLERS

28/04/2024 18:39:00 Mfanukhona Nkambule

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MBABANE – Four theories!

The Eswatini Government has responded to the European Union (EU) Parliament to its joint motion for a resolution on the situation of human rights defenders in the kingdom, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko. The EU Parliament filed the motion on February 15, 2023. In its letter to the President of the EU Parliament, Roberta Metsola, dated August 22, 2023, Thuli Dladla, on behalf of His Majesty King Mswati III, touched on interesting but very sensitive matters. Dladla, the then Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the current Deputy Prime Minister, represented government at the directive of Cabinet when she wrote the letter. According to our overseas sources, attached to the letter is a report on the political situation in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Firstly, the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini expressed commitment towards ensuring that the killers of Maseko and all other emaSwati were apprehended and brought to justice. It is stated in the letter received by the EU Parliament that government undertook to conduct a full and transparent enquiry into the killing of the human rights defender. The cover letter took a soft line, but government called a ‘spade a spade’ in the report. The State pointed out that the prime suspects in the killing of Thulani Maseko ‘are the militants responsible for other political killings’. It then listed four theories, which, according to government, were in the public domain, with social media, in particular, hinting on them – clearly and loudly. Government said certain theories were in the public domain through the media and social media.

Theory 1 (Leadership dispute)

Government said Maseko was a senior member of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), a political party that was formed in 1983 and has been the main opposition to the government for more than 40 years. The State told the EU Parliament that PUDEMO was declared a terrorist organisation in 2008 after planting a bomb under a bridge that His Majesty was due to pass over on his way to a conference at the United Nations. The bomb exploded prematurely, killing two and injuring a South African cadre who died recently. This is an obvious reference to Amos Mbedzi. Government said Maseko had considerable support within the party and extensive international support, and he had also gained the support of civil society through the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF). The State told the EU Parliament that Maseko supported dialogue with the government and opposed a more militant faction in PUDEMO and their participation in organising the June 2021 riots and subsequent killings.

Sensitive

Sensitive parts have been removed. Government said he openly supported one of the founders of PUDEMO to take over the party. It is stated in the report with the EU Parliament that PUDEMO elections were to be held in November 2022 and it was considered a foregone conclusion that this bid would succeed with the support of Maseko. The State disclosed that there had been allegations that Maseko might have been killed to neutralise his support for this bid to bring a new leadership to PUDEMO. Government said PUDEMO’s postponement of the elections from November 2022 to February 2023, with Maseko’s murder in January 2023, left a lot to be desired. Government mentioned that Maseko and his candidate had a Western support base while the other group within PUDEMO had strong communist party alliances.

Theory 2 (contract killers)

Government also told the EU Parliament that there had been allegations that Maseko might have been killed by contract killers, because he controlled PUDEMO’s funds through his attorneys’ trust account. According to this theory, Maseko had refused to release funds to pay them for recent killings, which had been ordered by the rival militant faction of PUDEMO.
“Withholding funds for the activities of the rival militant faction have also been suggested as a motive for his killing,” government stated in its report to the EU Parliament.

Theory 3 (Political Rivals)

The State’s theory three suggests that there had been allegations that he may have been killed because he stood in the way of a rival political party called the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO), which was involved in the riots of June 2021. Government said Maseko was a leading figure in PUDEMO and carried national and international support through the MSF, the Political Parties Assembly (PPA) and other organisations. The State stated that he was expected to play a significant role in the direction and outcomes of the national dialogue which would have put SWALIMO at a considerable disadvantage in their quest for political power.

It is stated that PUDEMO had indicated that they would disrupt the 2023 general elections, while SWALIMO had expressed intent to contest the elections, but this was not absolutely clear because of disagreements between the factions within these parties. The government report states that SWALIMO had also experienced the killing of political rivals. Government alleged that when one of their leaders (responsible for collecting and keeping arms and ammunition for SWALIMO), announced that he intended to break away from this movement with a colleague to form a new party called Swazis First Democratic Front (SFDF) because they were unhappy with its authoritative leadership style, he was abducted, tortured and killed. Government said his colleague’s home was burnt down. This is an obvious reference to Muzi Mmema. His killers have not been arrested as well.

Theory 4 (Land Disputes)

The State told the EU Parliament that there had been allegations that Maseko might have been killed because of his involvement in a number of highly charged land disputes around his homestead by people who had been dispossessed of their land or were facing the possibility of being dispossessed of their land. In conclusion, government said Maseko was involved in many organisations on many fronts and had many friends and enemies and there had been other suggestions as to who might have killed him and motives for doing so. In this regard, government did not share other theories with the EU Parliament.

State didn’t kill maseko

Government said allegations inferring that Maseko might have been killed on orders from government were totally unfounded and there was absolutely no credible evidence in support of these allegations. In fact, government said it had the least to gain and most to lose from Maseko’s death as a reformed opponent of violent extremism and a highly experienced and influential proponent of political change through national dialogue. “Each of these scenarios is being investigated and will continue to be investigated until such time as there is sufficient proof, in line with investigative practices the world over, arrests to be affected,” it is stated in the report. Government welcomed the assistance of the international community and its development partners, in cultivating an environment for peaceful dialogue that would allow all participants to exercise their right to speech and freedom of association, regardless of their ideology in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

amended

In accordance with Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement, which has been further amended in the soon to be adopted Post-Cotonou, if ‘a party considers that the other party fails to fulfil an obligation stemming from respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law referred to in Article 9(2), it shall, except in cases of special urgency, supply the other party and the council of ministers with the relevant information required for a thorough examination of the situation. This is done with a view to seeking a solution acceptable to the parties. To this end, it shall invite the other party to hold consultations that focus on the measures taken or to be taken by the party concerned to remedy the situation in accordance with Annex VII.

EU Political Advisor Robert Adam said the delegation of the EU to Eswatini was not in a position to comment on a matter that was before the European Parliament. Asked if he was aware that government has responded to the EU Parliament, Alpheous Nxumalo, the Government Press Secretary, said his office was not privy to this information. According to the government report to the EU Parliament, the consultations shall be conducted at the level and in the form considered most appropriate for finding a solution. The consultations shall begin no later than 30 days after the invitation and shall continue for a period established by mutual agreement, depending on the nature and gravity of the violation. In no case shall the dialogue under the consultation’s procedure last longer than 120 days. Therefore, the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini noted the EU’s concerns, looking forward to further engagement with them in this regard.

According to the joint motion for a resolution on the country’s situation, notably the murder of Maseko, the European Parliament described Eswatini as an absolute monarchy and government refuted the notion that the Kingdom is an absolute monarchy. The motion read as follows:
A.     Whereas in Eswatini, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, human rights and fundamental freedoms are curtailed and political parties are outlawed;
B.     Whereas on January 21, 2023, Thulani Maseko, a prominent human rights and trade union lawyer and chairman of Eswatini pro-democracy organisation the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, renowned for his efforts in advancing democracy, the rule of law, good governance and human rights, was killed at his home just hours after State threats against members of Eswatini’s pro-democracy movement. (The name of the person cited was removed just as names cited indirectly in the government report to the EU Parliament were not mentioned for legal reasons.)
C.     Whereas in 2021, protests demanding democratic reforms began and His Majesty’s Government launched a brutal crackdown on human rights activism, retaliating with arbitrary detentions, harassment, threats and abductions, internet shutdowns and bans on protests; whereas several dozen people have been killed by the security forces; whereas mercenaries have allegedly been hired to repress growing dissent;
D.     Whereas Members of the Eswatini Parliament Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza have been in jail since July 2021;
E.     Whereas the security forces systematically intimidate trade unionists and violate fundamental workers’ rights; whereas the authorities have detained and allegedly tortured student union leaders; whereas other human rights problems in Eswatini include impunity for the security forces and discrimination against women and minorities;
1.     Strongly condemns the killing of Thulani Maseko;
2.     Calls for a prompt, independent, impartial, transparent and thorough investigation, under the auspices of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights and the UN, into the attacks against other pro-democracy and human rights activists and the alleged recruitment of mercenaries to help security forces repress opposition;
3.     Condemns the widespread human rights violations in Eswatini and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners – particularly MPs Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza – and an immediate end to the harassment, violence and pressure exercised against human rights defenders, trade unionists, pro-democracy activists and politicians;
4.     Urges the authorities in Eswatini to respect, promote and protect human rights, including the freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly and to allow the people of Eswatini to exercise their civil and political rights;
5.     Considers the imprisonment of politicians and human rights defenders and the banning of trade unions to be clear contraventions of Eswatini’s commitments under the Cotonou Agreement; stresses that the country’s authorities must respect the principles of the International Labour Organisation;
6.     Urges the authorities in Eswatini to respect their commitments and launch, without delay, a comprehensive dialogue with all affected stakeholders to work towards national reconciliation and the protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy, with the ultimate goal of lasting peace, mediated and supported by the Southern African Development Community (SADC);
7.     Calls for the EU to review and, where applicable, suspend support programmes for Eswatini, where funds risk being used for activities that violate human rights;
8.     Instructs its president to forward this resolution to the Kingdom of Eswatini and to all relevant stakeholders and institutions.
It was Article 8 of the motion that triggered government’s response to the EU Parliament.

Govt is suspect – PUDEMO

MBABANE – The People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) says government cannot institute a fair and just investigation into the murder of Thulani Maseko. Brian Sangweni, the Spokesperson for PUDEMO, said government was allegedly a suspect in the case and its involvement in the investigation was bias. He said the movement would not entertain the theories because they depicted what he termed as ‘hallucination’.

disturbing

“We can only say government cannot take a leading role in the investigation into the murder of Comrade Thulani Maseko because the State is the suspect here,” Sangweni alleged. The PUDEMO spokesperson said there was a disturbing ‘insinuation’ by one of the leaders of the country which was allegedly understood to be declaring the State’s readiness to attack political activists. He said this theory should be explored as well. In fact, he said this theory should form the basis of the investigation.

death

He said government’s claim that there was nothing it would have gained from Maseko’s death was a lie. He said Maseko established the MSF, which put together collective efforts by all organisations to call for political freedoms. He said someone who established the MSF was obviously a threat to the State because he was able to organise all organisations to speak in one voice.

Unemanga mani govt – SWALIMO's Silolo

MBABANE – SWALIMO shifts liability for the killing of Thulani Maseko to the government and State. Thandaza Silolo, the SWALIMO Spokesperson, said his organisation: “Does not have confidence in this government anymore as it tells lies without shame.” He said Maseko’s brutal murder remained a burden on the government’s shoulders. Silolo alleged that government was guilty of his murder on the basis that it was very regime, which unleashed the army and its police on unarmed civilians, allegedly killing them in cold blood and maiming many others for simply calling for freedom and a fair sharing of the economy. He said: “What can they say now pointing fingers at other people who can never be guilty of this murder?”

ordered

Silolo said they were still waiting on the government to own up and explain to the nation as to who ordered the killing of Maseko and demonstrate a commitment to fully supporting his widow and orphaned children while prosecuting the killers. He said this should be done as a matter of urgency.