Thulani Maseko
Gunmen in Eswatini killed a prominent opposition politician and human rights lawyer at his home, a spokesman told AFP on Sunday.
Thulani Maseko was shot dead on Saturday night in Luhleko, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Mbabane, according to opposition spokeswoman Sikelela Dlamini.
He was told that "assassins shot him through the window while he was inside (the) house with his family."
"Details are still scant (and), owing to the trauma his family members are undergoing, they are not yet ready to speak," Dlamini said.
Maseko was a prominent human rights lawyer and writer in Eswatini who was fighting King Mswati III in court over the monarch's decision to rename the country Eswatini by decree.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its independence from Britain in 2018, the country's name was changed from Swaziland to Eswatini.
However, Maseko said that the monarch did not follow the constitution during the procedure.
Maseko and Bheki Makhubu, the editor of The Nation magazine, were sentenced for contempt of court in 2014 for pieces critical of the government and judiciary.
Maseko founded MSF, a combination of opposition parties, organizations, and religions.
His death came only hours after the king issued a challenge to protestors working to depose Africa's last absolute monarchy.
0 Comment(s)