IT’S FORWARD EVER FOR POLITICAL PARTIES IN ESWATINI

For better or worse, the country’s political landscape is changing, this follows recent events that have unfolded in the last four months.
A week ago, former Siphofaneni Member of Parliament, Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelane announced during a family meeting hosted by Swaziland News platform that he will be amlaunching his new baby, the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO). A few days later, the Times group of newspapers reported that certain individuals have been identified for main positions in the new group.
The hype that has come with that has compelled Siyalu Media to ask civil society state actors on whether the country had enough political formations keen to contest power should a multi-party system becomes a reality.
Thembinkosi Dlamini (Monitoring and Evaluation expert) views the arrival of the new group as the beauty of multi-party politics.
“Some individuals who do not like to be led will soon that running a political is no child’s play in terms of financial, human and emotional resources. Those parties will not make it past the inaugural multi-party democracy elections.
“At the same time, any attempt to manage plural politics with number limits will could be seen as undemocratic and self-defeating. In South Africa, the Economic Freedom Fighters emerged way after many other parties that have gone into obscurity now, they are a force to reckon with. Had such thoughts been dominating in South Africa then, democracy and South Africa as a country would have lost,” Dlamini told Siyalu Media in an interview.
Adding, at this point, political parties in Swaziland will play a role in civic education to recover 48 years of political development lost as result of the King’s Decree of April 12, 1973, so the
more the merrier.
Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Wandile Dludlu said they have no problem with new political parties because that is what they have been advocating for in the past 38 years.
“Let them come, after all we have been calling for freedom of association plural politics as compared to electing individuals who have no political ideology to advance,” Dludlu briefly said.
Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Secretary General, Sikelela Dlamini posed a question on whether it will be a political party or a movement, he is of the view that the latter was general and accommodative formation not necessarily based on party ideology.
“It is true that too many political parties are not needed, it is however, better for people to talk politics in the context of political homes. If they do see a need of a political party that is most welcome.
“What we can only do is to encourage all Swazis to join political parties because that is where they can discuss properly discuss issues of a political nature,” advised the SNAT leader.
The Swazi Democratic Party (SWADEPA), Secretary General, Mbongiseni Shabangu said they were not at all losing sleep about the emergence of new political parties. Shabangu is of the view that the number will be trimmed to a few significant number proportional to the country’s electorate.
“Currently everyone is experimenting with the bill of rights that allows for freedom of association, currently there are eight active political parties, they will make the list nine,” Shabangu explained. He is also head of secretariat of the political parties’ assembly (PPA).
So far the list of political parties affiliated to the PPA include, People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Ngwane Liberatory Congress (NNLC), Swazi Democratic Party (SWADEPA), Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS), Sive Siyinqaba, Swaziland People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Swaziland and People’s Front.
A human rights lawyer, Sipho Gumedze briefly said freedom of association is guaranteed in the country’s constitution.
Meanwhile, retired University of eSwatini, Political Scientist, Dr Petros Qambukusa Magagula, popularly known as Dr PQ, said there were already too many political parties in the country.
“The existing ones together with other formations should craft a democratic dispensation, agree on it, conduct elections and the winners will then form a government. This bickering is weakening the struggle and it should stop if the revolution is to succeed,” advised Dr PQ.
The Kingdom of eSwatini, formerly Swaziland conducts its elections on individual merit where the winner at constituency level known as inkhundla is elected directly to the House of Assembly. King Mswati 111 appoints 10of his MPs to the august House. The bone of contention came about when the two jailed MPs called for an elected prime minister, something that was the King’s discretion and was elected from the Dlamini clan and should have royal blood in his veins.