Eswatini Parliament Turned into a Spy Hub: How King Mswati’s Surveillance Undermines Democracy

The people of Eswatini have long endured a government that pretends to consult while operating in absolute secrecy and control. Recent revelations have exposed yet another sinister layer of King Mswati’s authoritarian grip on power — the alleged deployment of spies within Parliament, a move that is not only disturbing but a direct assault on democracy and transparency.

Reports have emerged indicating that King Mswati has allegedly positioned loyalist operatives within the legislative arm of government. These include high-profile figures such as Prince Lindani, former Army Commander Lieutenant General Tsembeni Magongo, King’s Praise Singer Qethuka Dlamini, Princess Ncengencenge, and former National Commissioner of Police Isaac Mmemo Magagula. These individuals are said to report directly to the King’s Intelligence Unit, monitoring parliamentary operations and reporting on internal debates and individual MPs.

This alleged intelligence operation follows the political unrest stirred by the previous Parliament, where courageous MPs Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube spoke truth to power by demanding democratic reforms. Instead of addressing the issues they raised, the regime responded with brute force. The two MPs were arrested, subjected to a sham trial, and convicted on trumped-up terrorism charges. Their imprisonment was a chilling message to anyone who dares to challenge the status quo: dissent will not be tolerated.

Even more troubling is the allegation that Isaac Magagula was previously involved in a covert state project to establish a Special Intelligence Unit, which would consolidate the army, Correctional Services, and police intelligence functions under a Ministry of State Security and Intelligence. This attempt at centralising surveillance is reminiscent of totalitarian regimes, where every branch of the state becomes a tool to crush opposition.

According to a senior intelligence officer who spoke to the Swaziland News, the King’s intelligence network in Parliament is so sophisticated that even the spies are spied upon — none of them are aware of what the others report. This structure ensures absolute loyalty to Mswati and allows him to preempt parliamentary motions before they are even tabled. Parliament, under this scheme, is no longer a house of the people — it is an echo chamber, carefully monitored and manipulated from above.

Despite King Mswati’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane denying these claims, saying that debates are recorded and accessible to the King anyway, the independent investigation presents a compelling narrative of deliberate and systemic surveillance.

PUDEMO’s Deputy President Wandile Dludlu rightly points out that these appointments are not innocent. They are calculated. The King’s appointees enter Parliament with a mission — not to legislate for the people, but to safeguard royal interests. The legislative branch, which in a democracy should be a check on executive power, has instead been turned into a fortress of royal surveillance.

This is not governance. This is dictatorship. The absolute monarchy in Eswatini has now reached a point where fear and intimidation have replaced dialogue and policy-making. The very idea of separation of powers is a farce under Mswati’s reign. Political parties remain banned from elections, human rights defenders are harassed, and those who call for reform are silenced through imprisonment or worse.

The imprisonment of Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube symbolizes this suppression. These MPs didn’t burn buildings or threaten national security — they spoke for the people. And for that, they received life sentences. This is the clearest sign that in Eswatini, asking for democracy is considered terrorism.

By embedding spies within Parliament, the King has stripped away the last illusion of representative governance. This surveillance network is not about national security — it is about political control. The monarchy has now fully exposed itself as a beacon of dictatorship in Southern Africa. What remains is for the people of Eswatini to rise, to resist, and to reclaim the Parliament, the country, and the future from the clutches of tyranny.

True change will come not from those seated in royal-appointed chairs, but from ordinary citizens who dare to speak up, organize, and resist the machinery of oppression. The struggle continues.