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Following a peaceful protest to the Manzini Police Headquarters on Friday to demand justice for assassinated human rights lawyer, Thulani Rudolf Maseko, Mswati’s police opened fire on the protesters, heavily injuring two protesters and assaulted many more.

The two activists who were shot are Mhlonishwa Mtsetfwa, Central Committee member of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS), and Sibusiso Vilakati, member of the Swaziland Liberation Movement. The police shot Mhlonishwa Mtsetfwa from behind, around the waist, while Sibusiso Vilakati was shot on the left leg. 

Both have since been rushed to hospital. The police shot Mhlonishwa Mtsetfwa at close range with what appears to be a rubber bullet. He is currently in theatre, scheduled to undergo a critical procedure.

These brutal attacks on peaceful and unarmed protesters by the Mswati autocracy constitute some of its acts of desperation to cling to power and maintain Swaziland as Africa’s last absolute monarchy.

A mere two days ago, Wednesday 25 January, Mswati’s police targeted and arbitrarily detained and assaulted two Swaziland National Union of Students activists in Manzini, following a political school organised by their union. The two students, Sambulo Shongwe and Lwazi Maseko, are still in custody. The police have denied them their right to legal representation.

The arrest of the two student activists also followed the brutal assassination of human rights lawyer, Thulani Maseko, on 21 January 2023 as well as the assassination of many other activists by the autocracy.

Mswati has long declared war on the people of Swaziland. The CPS reiterates its call for the establishment of community councils, including security councils, among others, so that the people can adequately defend themselves against the regime’s murderous security forces.

As the year begins, the CPS reiterates its call for the oppressed people of Swaziland to render the country ungovernable! The regime’s resources must be exhausted by daily activism.

The CPS also calls for the intensification of international solidarity with the fighting people of Swaziland. On this score, the CPS reiterates its call for the international isolation of Mswati and his henchmen. The regime’s elites must not be able to land anywhere in the world until democracy is attained in Swaziland.

Issued by the Communist Party of Swaziland