Eswatini’s Senate Privilege Not Absolute Nor a Shield for Public Misinformation and Falsehoods
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
13 April 2025
Press Release in Response to Times of Eswatini Article, pg. 4-5
Truth matters. Lives depend on it.
SIDVOKODVO, ESWATINI — The Luke Commission (TLC) fully respects the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini and the vital role of Senate in ensuring accountability, transparency, and good governance. We are especially grateful to the many Parliamentarians and Senators who uphold these values with courage and integrity-and who continue to prioritize the lives and wellbeing of the Emaswati they represent.
However, TLC strongly rejects the repeated and deliberate spread of misinformation by Senator Lizzie Nkosi and a small group of individuals disguised as protected speech, as reported in the Times of Eswatini Sunday on 13 April 2025. While Senate holds protections for open debate, those protections do not extend to knowingly false public statements that mislead the nation, undermine lawful partnerships, and obstruct access to life-saving healthcare.
Senate Privilege Has Limits
TLC recognizes the vital role of Senate in oversight and debate. But privilege must never be weaponized to obscure truth, destroy reputations, or endanger the lives of Emaswati. When public servants knowingly spread falsehoods under the protection of Senate rules, they erode public trust and compromise the very systems they were elected to protect.
Senate privilege in Eswatini is not absolute. It is limited in scope, confined to formal proceedings, and cannot be used to commit crimes, lie publicly, or destroy reputations without consequence. Abuse of privilege can be addressed both inside legislative arms (through discipline) and outside (through legal recourse).
Clarifying the Record
Contrary to the statements attributed to Senator Lizzie Nkosi:
TLC receives no special treatment. All funding is performance-based, limited in scope, and governed by signed agreements with utilization and programmatic reports submitted to the Ministry of Health.
TLC signed a formal agreement with the Government of Eswatini, which was not discretionary funding but legally allocated through proper channels.
Formal agreements exist. The financial relationship between TLC and government has always been guided by a signed and duly executed Memorandum of Agreement (MoA).
The so-called “once-off” payment was a transition. This funding was explicitly communicated as a temporary bridge to a formal Public-Private Partnership — something that Senator Nkosi and a small minority continue to resist. To call this “once-off” is not only misleading, but a willful distortion of the original intent and scope of the collaboration.
If access to programmatic and utilization reports is withheld, it is a matter for internal government accountability — not a justification for spreading misinformation about TLC’s operations or financial stewardship.
A Pattern of Harmful Obstruction
These recent statements reflect a troubling pattern: repeated misinformation and falsehoods — while ignoring facts, documentation, and the lives at stake.
TLC has:
Submitted more than 250 pages of financial and operational documents,
Participated in every formal review requested by Parliament or any local or international government or donor body,
Voluntarily provided free services to over 1.5 million outpatients across Eswatini over the past 20 years.
To suggest otherwise is not only false — it is reckless.
This pattern of obstruction is not new — it began during Senator Nkosi’s tenure as Minister of Health, when she repeatedly attempted to undermine TLC’s work, despite clear evidence of national impact and the reality that TLC is deeply trusted by the people of Eswatini and respected by the global community alike.
A Call to Leadership and Integrity
TLC respectfully urges Senate and its members to lead with facts, fairness, and a shared vision for the health of all Emaswati. TLC will continue to uphold the highest standards of governance, transparency, and legal compliance in service to all Emaswati, while defending its mission and the patients we are privileged to serve. We cannot remain silent in the face of repeated misinformation and falsehoods by a few individuals entrusted with public responsibility.
We welcome independent investigation, public scrutiny, and collaboration. What we reject — unequivocally — are tactics that endanger truth, trust, and the lives of Emaswati. What we stand for is partnership, accountability, and a healthier Eswatini for all.
For media inquiries or documentation requests, please contact:
comms@lukecommission.org | +268 2808 7200
