Comrade Dumsani Fakudze, the National Chairperson of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) finally joined the CPS 2019 Summer School last night, 21 December 2019, after his release by the royal police of Swaziland. He had been detained by the police on Friday, 20 December 2019.

On Friday morning, Mswati’s police raided the homes of various leaders of the progressive movement and detained them. The police confiscated from our National Chairperson many Party documents which they deemed to have the potential of being treasonous due to their call for the democratisation of Swaziland. His laptop was also confiscated and scrutinised by police intelligence at the Manzini Police Regional Headquarters. The laptop was later returned to him, though after a lengthy battle.

The Communist Party of Swaziland is not deterred by the obvious intimidation and scare tactics of the Mswati regime. The command by Mswati, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, that leaders and members of progressive forces must be arrested is a sign of deepening desperation to hold on to power. Political parties remain banned in Swaziland since 12 April 1973 when the late Sobhuza II unilaterally repealed the constitution, banned political parties and bestowed all executive, legislative and judicial power upon himself, thus creating an absolute monarchy.

The Communist Party of Swaziland reiterates the people’s call that #MswatiMustFall!

Democracy NOW!

Issued by the Communist Party of Swaziland