Southern African Bishops Join Murder Condemnation of Eswatini’s “protagonist of dialogue”

The Bishop described the late activist as one who "believed that only an all-inclusive national dialogue could be a strong foundation for the future of our country.”

Mr. Maseko was well known for being among those calling for electoral reforms in the country that was previously known as Swaziland.

In 2021, Maseko together with other representatives of civil societies in Eswatini rejected King Mswati III’s invitation to discuss the country’s political crisis at an annual national general meeting known as Sibaya. 

“Sibaya cannot, and is not an appropriate venue for an inclusive dialogue and has no significant value in shaping our destiny and as a people. We have long lost hope in such forums, and therefore WE SHALL NOT attend the meeting,” representatives of civil societies in Eswatini said in a statement signed by Maseko.  

In a January 28 statement, Church leaders in the Kingdom said that Mr. Maseko's murder is the most recent "senseless and brutal killing of Swazi citizens by unknown perpetrators."

More in Africa

Apostolic Nuncio Lauds Religious Institutes as “an invaluable component” of Church in South Sudan

Read the article

The leaders under the auspices of the Eswatini Conference of Churches condemn the murders, saying, "Killing of another human being is an abomination in the eyes of the Almighty and dire consequences."

The Church leaders have called on their country's government to "expediently investigate" the killings and bring the perpetrators to book.

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.