By Botho Molosankwe
The political crisis in Swaziland may be coming to a head after members of People's United Democratic Movement (Pudemo) suffered serious injuries in a clash with the police during what was supposed to be a peaceful 21st anniversary celebration for their party.
The celebration, which had been planned since January this year, ended before it could start with members going back home, bruised and bleeding because of police beatings.
Other members claim they were followed to their homes and beaten there, while the president of Pudemo, Mario Masuku, said he was harrassed and detained for three hours.
Masuku, a diabetic who has high blood pressure, said he was refused medication.
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According to Masuku, members of Pudemo found police waiting for them at the venue of the celebration, armed with batons and rifles.
"They (police) told them to disperse and not go ahead with the celebrations to which Pudemo members objected.
"We told them we had paid for the venue and it was our right to proceed with the celebration as planned, but they started beating everyone, some people were followed to their homes and beaten there," he said.
The attack left some members seriously injured, including the secretary general, IB Dlamini, who said he had been kicked and beaten with batons and sustained head injuries that warranted an overnight stay at the hospital.
The police said the reason the Pudemo members were beaten was because they had provoked them, which Masuku dismissed as a lie.
"What kind of provocation from unarmed people would warrant such beatings?" he asked. He said members had only been singing and had no weapons with them.
Superintendent Vusi Masuku, public relations officer of Mbabane Police Headquarters, disagreed with Masuku's statements.
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