Africa-Press – Eswatini. Alpheous Nxumalo,the Government Spokesperson has clarified that King Mswati,with his “silence the guns” statement,was not ordering police officers to stop using guns when conducting their duties.
Mswati’s soldiers and the police have killed dozens of civilians merely for demanding democracy since the political unrest erupted in June 2021.
But the King subsequently called for the “silencing of guns” after the establishment of a pro-democracy underground unit known as the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces(SISF).
The underground forces were targeting police officers and soldiers including high profile people who were allegedly linked in the killing of civilians.
Pro-democracy Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament(MP)Marwick Khumalo later questioned Cabinet in Parliament demanding to know who King Mswati was referring to when he called for the silencing of guns as police were continuing with the shooting of innocent civilians.
But in a public statement released on Friday afternoon,Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo warned against the misinterpretation of the King’s statement.
“First and foremost,this call from the Throne is legitimate,urgent and imperative.However,Government has noted with concerns the obvious misinterpretation and application of the call to “Silence the Guns”.His Majesty’s call was inspired by the African Union’s Agenda 2063.It aspires to end wars and conflicts,prevent genocide and stop gender-based violence.It seeks to free Africa from the many destructive effects of gun-related violence and armed conflicts by the year 2030.Primarily,guns that need to be and must be silenced are those which are illegitimately or illegally in the hands of people in the country.The call to silence the guns was never directed to the national security services,especially the police service.To make inferences that the call means that the police can no longer legitimately use guns to protect themselves when being attacked by criminals and by other rowdy elements in society,is not only mischievous but also plain naive,”said the Government Spokesperson in a statement released on Friday afternoon.
Reached for comments,Mlungisi Makhanya,the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) described the Government statement as an arrogant confirmation that the innocent citizens who died were killed at the command of the King.
“Our final message would be this;he who lives by the sword,dies by the sword,”said the PUDEMO President.
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