MBABANE, Eswatini (KAAB TV) – Amnesty International has called Eswatini authorities to stop using court to intimidate union leaders ahead of the court appearance of Sticks Nkambule, Secretary General of the Swaziland Transport Communication and Allied Workers Union, who faces unfounded charges of contempt of court related to his involvement in organizing a stay away action in December 2022.
In a statement Amnesty International’s Interim Deputy Director for Southern Africa, Vongai Chikwanda, voiced concerns about the situation.
Chikwanda stated, “The harassment and intimidation of Sticks Nkambule and the union he represents, for simply organizing a protest, demonstrates that the authorities in Eswatini are effectively criminalizing peaceful dissent. The message they are sending is clear: anyone who challenges those in power will be punished.”
Amnesty International calls on the authorities to drop the baseless charges against Nkambule, cease criminalizing dissent, and uphold the people’s rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. This disturbing abuse of justice must come to an end.
Chikwanda added, “Criminalizing individuals who express their views and engage in protests goes against Eswatini’s Constitution, which guarantees the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association. It also violates the country’s international human rights obligations, including those under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Eswatini is a state party.”
Furthermore, Chikwanda emphasized the importance of respecting, protecting, promoting, and fulfilling the human rights of all individuals in Eswatini. Authorities must allow people to exercise their rights freely and refrain from using the criminal justice system to intimidate and persecute union leaders and protesters.
Sticks Nkambule is currently facing contempt of court charges linked to a stay away strike organized by the Swaziland Transport Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU) on 13 and 14 December 2022.
The strike aimed to demand the release of Mthandeni Dube and Bacede Mabuza, Members of the Eswatini Parliament who have been imprisoned since 25 July 2021 for advocating political reforms in the country.
Nkambule is listed as the first respondent in the case, with the union being the second respondent.
Two other unions, the Eswatini Kombi and Buses Allied Union and the Swaziland Commercial Amadoda Road Transport Association, are the third and fourth respondents, respectively.