Swaziland: Ngwane National Liberatory Congress
Extracted from: Deane Stuart 2009 "Chapter 12: Swaziland" IN Denis Kadima and Susan Booysen (eds) Compendium of Elections in Southern Africa 1989-2009: 20 Years of Multiparty Democracy, EISA, Johannesburg, 473-474.
The funeral of the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) founder, Dr Zwane, functioned as a popular political rally that was used to revive the party, which adopted a new constitution in 1998 (see "Independence and the Demise of Democracy" for details of the suppression of the party). [The party had been inactive since 1973. See Demise of democracy and the consolidation of autocracy (1968-1986) for details]. The party under the leadership of Obed Dlamini has taken a more conservative position than that of Pudemo. Traditionally the NNCL is an African nationalist party that draws its support from much the same constituency as Pudemo, but despite their overlapping constituencies and past differences on tactics, the two organisations formed a united front together with civic organisations and student groups to promote a boycott of the 2008 election. The two parties also share ties with the same trade unions, businesses and civil society bodies and have a common alignment with the National Constitutional Assembly. Moreover, the NNLC has much the same objectives as Pudemo, but couches them in more moderate language (Mzizi 2005, 15, 16, 18-21, 23-24, 26; Masuku 2008). These objectives include to:
- liberate the citizens of Swaziland from a mentality that accepts the status quo, docility, and abuse of the people in the name of culture and traditions;
- eradicate all forms of discrimination on the basis of ancestry, race, language, creed, sex, social standing, physical impairment, etc, and to create a democratic society in which all have equal opportunities of self-advancement and realisation;
- restore a multiparty democratic political dispensation with a constitution which protects the freedoms of all Swazis, i.e. freedoms of association, assembly, expression etc. as defined in the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights; and
- promote national unity and consciousness in the whole nation by bringing about harmony between the people and the traditional leaders, and to fight against cultural practices which serve to oppress and exploit the masses.
Like Pudemo, the NNLC has a well-developed constitution with separate wings for women and youth (Mzizi 2005, 25).
Official web site
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress: [www] http://www.nnlcswaziland.org/ [opens new window] (accessed 31 Mar 2010).
References
MASUKU, L 2008 "Swaziland opposition groups to boycott poll", IOL, 3 February , [www] http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=84&art_id=nw20080203143009554C732856 [opens new window] (accessed 31 Mar 2010).
MZIZI, JB 2005 Political Movements and the Challenges for Democracy in Swaziland, Johannesburg, EISA Research Report No. 18.