News Africa Extended

News Africa Extended

Swazi king rebrands monarchy as democracy

Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:41 PM PDT

Swaziland’s King Mswati III, Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy, is seeking to rebrand his rule as a form of democracy.

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Mbabane – Swaziland’s King Mswati III, Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy, is seeking to rebrand his rule as a form of democracy.

Explaining his new definition of democracy to an assembly of regional MPs, the king said as far as he was concerned, democracy meant that he permits his subjects to elect some of his counsellors who advise him.

“The ballot box is the will of the people who vote for an individual, who will provide advice and counsel to the king,” Mswati said in a speech delivered by his hand-picked Deputy Prime Minister Paul Shabangu.

Stung by criticism that he was viewed internationally as a dictator, Mswati invented the name “monarchial democracy” some years ago to define his rule.

“(Monarchial democracy) is a combination of power and empowerment,” Mswati told parliamentarians from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) this week. MPs from SADC’s 15 member states were in Swaziland to attend the 39th Plenary Assembling Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

He added: “To those who proclaim that democracy is the answer to all nations and their development, we present ourselves as testimony to a new democratic ideology that works”.

Swaziland’s political system is rated as “Not Free” by the human rights group Freedom House. Amnesty International regularly criticises the royal government for jailing human rights activists and journalists. The country’s refusal to abide by UN labour and human rights accords, to which Mbabane is a signatory, caused the United States (US) to drop Swaziland from the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in 2014.

Although thousands of Swazi jobs were lost when factories closed after losing AGOA’s trade advantage of duty-free access to the US marketplace, government has failed to amend labour and security laws as directed by the UN’s International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The host country’s political dispensation and human rights record were not on the agenda of SADC Parliamentary Forum.

MPs were considering how to conform national laws on the criminalisation of HIV-positive people who knowingly spread the disease to non-infected individuals.

The assembly was also expected to approve a model law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage. The law was drafted in Johannesburg in March by a committee headed by Botswana’s High Court Judge Oagile Dingake, under the guidance of the UN Populations Fund (UNFPA).

About 80 SADC parliamentarians listened politely as Mswati said: “As put to the global community, the Kingdom of Swaziland’s position is that it believes in democracy as an idea but not as an ideal because things that are ideal to you may not be ideal to other people.”

According to Swaziland’s 2005 constitution, governing power resides in the king’s hands. He is superior to the legislature and judicial branches and the constitution itself. He cannot be sued in court. The king chooses the prime minister, who is always a member of his family, as well as executive branch officials, top government, military and police positions, and some members of parliament. The Swazi Senate is also appointed and not subject to election.

Pro-democracy groups in the country said that Mswati has confirmed parliament’s position as a powerless advisory body only, and one which the king has been known to ignore. True power in Swaziland resides in the king’s court in various groupings of traditional counsellors. These intimates are chosen by the king himself and are not elected by the Swazi people.

African News Agency

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Malawi bans witchdoctors

Posted: 02 Jun 2016 06:04 AM PDT

A Malawi court has reportedly banned witchdoctors from operating in the country following a spate of albino killings linked to witchcraft.

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Lilongwe - A Malawi court has banned witchdoctors from operating in the impoverished southern African country following a spate of albino killings linked to witchcraft, according to a court ruling seen on Thursday.

Judge Dingiswayo Madise granted an order late Wednesday stopping “all traditional healers, witchdoctors, charm producers..., magic users and fortune tellers from operating in the country to eliminate issues of albino attacks and killings,” according to a judgement read out to AFP by a court official.

The official, who cannot be named because he does not have authority to speak to the media, said the court made the ruling after three local residents sued two witchdoctors.

Albinos, who have white skin and yellow hair as a result of a genetic disorder, are regularly killed in several African countries for their body parts for use in witchcraft.

Malawian police have recorded at least 65 attacks, abductions and murders of albinos since the end of 2014.

Of the three victims who sued, one had been promised that a lover who had abandoned her would come back.

Another said she had been guaranteed by the witchdoctor that a robber would return her stolen goods.

When they failed to get results, they turned to the courts.

Oswald Phiri, one of the complainants who also has an albino cousin, said in his affidavit that he “verily believes that all the killings (albino) are stemming from witchdoctors” who use albino body parts in their prescribed concoctions.

“After the request of the three concerned Malawians to ban activities of witchdoctors in order to eliminate issues of albino attacks and killings, this court grants the order,” ruled the judge in the northern city of Mzuzu.

The court also ordered newspapers to stop carrying witchdoctors' adverts.

The United Nations warned in April that the country's estimated 10 000 albinos face “systematic extinction” if they continue to be murdered for their body parts for use in witchcraft.

AFP

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Blast, gun raid claim 16 at Migadishu hotel

Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:14 AM PDT

At least 16 people were killed in a car bomb and gun attack on a hotel in the centre of Mogadishu where sporadic gunfire could still be heard.

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Mogadishu - Somali authorities said on Thursday at least 16 people were killed and 55 wounded in a car bomb and gun attack on a hotel in the centre of Mogadishu where sporadic gunfire could still be heard on Thursday.

Islamist militant group al-Shabaab, affiliated with al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Hotel Ambassador.

Two lawmakers were among the dead.

“So far we have confirmed 16 people, mostly civilians, died and 55 others were injured,” Major Nur Mohamed, a police officer, told Reuters on Thursday.

He said gunfire had died down at the hotel.

“We suspect the roof top is not safe. Security forces are inside from the first to fourth floor.”

Government forces have blocked off all the main roads near the hotel.

Reuters witnesses said sporadic gunfire could still be heard at the five-storey building which has been extensively damaged.

Relatives were gathering at hospitals and at the hotel searching for loved ones, with some people believed trapped inside.

A Reuters witness heard one man on the fifth floor crying out: “Please rescue me.”

Al-Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu by the African Union peacekeeping force AMISOM in 2011.

But it has remained a potent threat in Somalia, launching frequent attacks aimed at overthrowing the Western-backed government.

Al-Shabaab has also been behind deadly attacks in Kenya and Uganda.

Both contribute troops to an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia.

Reuters

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