BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Members of Parliament (MPs) and senators serving on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Portfolio Committee have called for punitive action against individuals who, in their view, speak with contempt towards Eswatini and its leadership.
The call was made on 11 August 2025 during a meeting at Royal Villas in Ezulwini between the committee and ministry officials, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pholile Shakantu.
Legislators expressed concern that people making disparaging remarks about the nation’s leaders and other prominent figures appeared to be doing so without consequence. They urged that firm action be taken to deter such behaviour.
Minister Shakantu, however, explained that taking action was not straightforward—particularly when those making such remarks reside outside the country. She noted that apprehending such individuals often requires negotiating with foreign authorities to secure their extradition, a process that can be lengthy and complex.
The minister assured the committee that efforts were under way to hold offenders accountable, but stressed that all measures must comply with legal frameworks.
During discussions, one proposed approach was to report offenders to administrators of the social media platforms on which the comments were made, with the aim of having them blocked or restricted. Legislators felt this could help curb the spread of contemptuous statements while legal processes continued.
However, some members of the public and commentators have argued that the term “speaking with contempt” should be clearly defined before punitive measures are pursued. Without such a definition, they warned, enforcement could be open to subjective interpretation and potential abuse.
Several legislators shared that some of the statements they had seen directed at national leaders were highly demeaning—remarks they said they would not tolerate if made against them personally.
The meeting ended with agreement that while protecting the country’s image and leadership is important, the process must balance national dignity with the principles of fairness and legality.
