Swaziland: Women Challenge King Mswati
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Inter Press Service (Johannesburg)
27 August 2008
Posted to the web 28 August 2008
Mantoe Phakathi
Mbabane
Hard on the heels of the signing of the Gender Protocol at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state summit, Swazi women have challenged King Mswati III on the monarchy's lavish lifestyle in the face of abject poverty and disease.
The Gender Protocol calls for 50 percent representation of women in all levels of government by 2015 and further urges member states to put in place legislative measures guaranteeing gender sensitive political and policy structures.
The protocol also calls for gender-specific approaches to treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS which the more than 1,000 demonstrators, mainly women and people living with HIV/AIDS, demanded in petitions to the Minister of Finance, Majozi Sithole, and Prime Minister Themba Dlamini.
The march was triggered by a recent trip to the Middle East by eight of King Mswati's 13 wives who left the country with their children, bodyguards, aides and maids by private jet for an undisclosed mission on August 15.
Government remained mum on both the nature of this controversial trip and the source of its funding, but there is a widespread speculation that the Emakhosikati (the king's wives) were on a shopping spree in Dubai ahead of the double celebration on September 6 of the king's 40th birthday and four decades of Swaziland's independence.
On the same day the Emakhosikati left, a separate private plane took King Mswati and Inkhosikati LaDube to the SADC Summit in Johannesburg. After the summit, the king himself flew to the Middle East. He only returned to the country on August 27, a day after his other wives.
Mourning the neglect of women's rights
Women's rights groups led by Swaziland Positive Living for Life (SWAPOL) called on demonstrators to march to the Ministry of Finance and Prime Minister's office wearing black as a sign of mourning.
Criticising the march, Traditional Prime Minister Jim Gama said the protest was against the Swazi culture and an act by disrespectful women who have taken the fight for women a bit too far.
"Even when women are aggrieved, according to our culture, men have to speak on their behalf," said Gama.
It was the first time the country witnessed women challenging the King directly and calling on government to address the issue of his lavish lifestyle at the expense of the taxpayer.
In the event, few women demonstrators turned up in black. But SWAPOL director Siphiwe Hlophe said while traditionalists, who include the Traditional Prime Minister Jim Gama, Prince Jahamnyama and Chief Magudvulela, successfully intimidated a lot of people from wearing black, the large turnout did drive the point home.
"As women, we have the right to freedom of expression, life, treatment and care which is what we are calling for through this march," said Hlophe.
She is not the only one with this opinion.
One of the marchers was Patrick Mngometulu an HIV positive volunteer at Imphilo Isachubeka Support Group. "I'm here with my wife and two children because I hope this march is going to touch Government's heart," he said. He came all the way from Shiselweni, some 148 kilometres from Mbabane. "Besides the fact that we take ARVs on an empty stomach, the tablets are now rationed."
Mngometulu said a number of his peers have stopped taking ARVs because they feel that the rationing of the tablets is a sign that eventually they will run out. As a result, disclosed Mngometulu, about 10 members of the support group relapsed and are very sick.
Thuli Dlamini (29), who lives at Msunduza in Mbabane, said with the recent 60 percent hike in bus fares, visiting the Mbabane Government Hospital twice a month has become impossible.
"We used to get 60 tablets to last us the whole month but now that has been halved because we are told that the ARVs are not enough to give the month's supply," she said.
According to Hlophe, 95 percent of participants in the march were taking ARVs.
Fed up
"Enough is enough" read some of the placards.
The ostentatious lifestyle of the king in contrast to an under-funded health system and the fact that two-thirds of Swaziland's one million people live on food donations is one reason why people from many corners of the Kingdom decided to march against King Mswati.
Relevant Links
Demonstrators highlighted the plight of the ordinary Swazi who is faced with a deteriorating health and education system, poverty, and food insecurity.
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Read comments. Write your own.
South African government is the main backer of the king and his irresponsible lifestyle!
I bet King swati must run for his life if ever the South African government decided to withdraw its support to a feudal government.
Women in Southern Africa and NGOs should first shame Mbeki and his government.
Mbeki is doing the same thing in Zimbabwe propping up the illegitimate rule of criminal Mugabe.
When will pressure be exerted against the SA governemnt to stop backing feudal kings, criminal murderous leaders?
We shouldn’t let these lavish celebrations hide the very real human rights abuses that are taking place in Swaziland. The King rules by decree, political parties are banned and the parliament has no powers. The King selects the Prime Minister. This week police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at marchers protesting for democracy. While the King has a wealth estimated at 200 million US dollars, seven in ten people in Swaziland live in abject poverty earning less than one US dollar a day. Six in ten people rely on international food aid and four in ten are said to… [Read Full Text]
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Lord have mercy. Throughout Afroca, fools, murderers, thieves, turturers, rapist and visionless idiots are ruling Africa against the will of the people. I wonder if this idiot called Jim Gama has a brain at all.
We have all these idiots parading as African leaders; no wonder why Africa is not progressing. Majority of your people are sick, hungry and lack education, but you chose to spend huge sum of money on the wives of a premitive self centered king, who has no clue about the will of the people. And yet you see no problem with this.
Jim Gama, the… [Read Full Text]