By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, the Chairperson of the MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF) has been shot dead by unknown criminals at his home last night.
According to the Eswatini government, Maseko was shot by “unknown criminals”.
“[His] demise is a loss to the nation, and his footprints as a human rights lawyer are there as proof of his contributions to the country. He will be surely missed,” the Eswatini government said in a statement.
Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo said their security forces have assured government that they are already at work looking for the killers and will not rest until they have been brought to book.
Government also warns against speculations and insinuations peddled particularly on social media platforms in instances like these. Again, Government distinctly disassociates herself and the country’s authorities from these heinous acts. Such speculations are dangerous as they hamper investigations and take the attention away from the real criminals, said Nxumalo.
Nxumalo added that government urges the entire Eswatini Nation to be with the Maseko family in prayer during this sad period.
Maseko chaired the Multi-Stakeholders Forum, a collaboration of political parties and civil society groups working to amplify the calls for democratic reforms.
In 2018, Maseko took Swaziland’s King Mswati III to court for changing the country’s name.
The death of the human rights lawyer comes a few hours after King Mswati warned those calling for democracy that his mercenaries would deal with them.
Eswatini is in the midst of a political unrest, Mswati has intensified the killing of political activists and human rights defenders.