Hours after his speech challenging the King’s position against opponents at a traditional ceremony, it was announced today that human rights lawyer and prominent Eswatini opponent Thulani Maseko was killed Saturday night at his home by unknown gunmen, according to his political group, the Swaziland MultiStakeholder Forum.
The Secretary General of the Swaziland MultiStakeholder Forum, a coalition of opposition parties, associations, and churches calling for democratic reforms, Sikelela Dlamini, told local media that the killers shot at him through the window.
Thulani Maseko, 52, had already sued King Mswati III for “renaming the country Eswatini by decree”, which he said was contrary to the constitution.
Last week, the opposition Swaziland Solidarity Network accused the king of hiring mercenaries to help the security forces deal with the opposition. This was denied by government spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo.
For its part, the government expressed its condolences to the family of the murdered lawyer in a statement.