Mario Thembeka Masuku (9 October 1951 – 11 January 2021) was a

Swazi Swazi may refer to: * Swazi people, a people of southeastern Africa * Swazi language * Eswatini Eswatini, formally the Kingdom of Eswatini, also known by its former official names Swaziland and the Kingdom of Swaziland, is a landlocked count ...

politician who was the leader of the

People's United Democratic Movement The People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO; ) is the largest opposition party in Eswatini. It is a democratic socialist party. Formed in 1983 at the University of Eswatini, it is led by Mlungisi Makhanya. The absolute monarchy of Mswat ...

(PUDEMO),

Eswatini Eswatini, formally the Kingdom of Eswatini, also known by its former official names Swaziland and the Kingdom of Swaziland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by South Africa on all sides except the northeast, where i ...

's banned

opposition party In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government (or, in American English, the administration), party or group in political control of a city, region, state, coun ...

Early life and education

He was born in the village of Makhosini located in

Nhlangano Nhlangano () is the fourth largest town in Eswatini. It is the capital of the southern district of Shiselweni. The town was formerly known as Goedgegun, but the name was changed to Nhlangano, meaning "the meeting place". Nhlangano is located bes ...

and attended Evelyn Baring High School.

Imprisonment for political activity

The Royal Swazi Police arrested and imprisoned Masuku at Matsapha maximum security prison on charges of

sedition Sedition is overt conduct, such as speech or organization, that tends toward rebellion against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent toward, or insurrection against, establ ...

in 2001. He was arrested again on November 15, 2008, under the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008. At the funeral of Musa Dlamini, who died while supposedly trying to bomb the Lozitha bridge, Masuku is alleged to have verbally supported recent bombings of government institutions. He was acquitted and discharged at the High Court on September 21, 2009 after spending 340 days in prison. On 1 May 2014, Masuku, after a making a speech at a May day rally in Manzini, was arrested together with student activist Maxwell Dlamini. They were charged with terrorism and sedition. A widely supported international campaign for their release was started shortly thereafter. He died on 11 January 2021, from COVID-19.

References

External links

Mario Masuku: 'A brief autobiography'

Mario Masuku meets with senior Danish politician Mogens Lykketoft

International campaign for the release of Mario Masuku
1951 births 2021 deaths People's United Democratic Movement members Prisoners and detainees of Eswatini Swazi democracy activists Swazi prisoners and detainees Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Eswatini {{Eswatini-politician-stub He stepped down as president of PUDEMO, and handed over the role to a young leader, Mlungisi Makhanya.