Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza, a former Member of Parliament in Eswatini, was denied his request to continue receiving takeaway meals while serving a 25-year prison sentence.
Mabuza sought permission from the High Court of Eswatini to receive food from places like KFC, Nando’s, Galito’s, and pizza at his own expense, rather than relying on prison meals. He is currently serving his sentence following his arrest in July 2021, along with another former MP, Mthandeni Dube, who received an 18-year sentence. Both were charged with inciting violence after calling for governmental reforms to limit the absolute power held by King Mswati.
According to local reports, inmates are allowed to receive meals from outside until they are convicted; afterward, they must eat the food provided by the prison. While Dube opted to eat the prison food after his arrest, Mabuza continued to have his takeaways delivered by relatives until his sentencing on July 25, 2024.
In his court application, Mabuza claimed a doctor had prescribed a special diet due to health issues, but this was dismissed by the commissioner general, who stated that fast food could not be part of a medical diet. Following the rejection of his application, Mabuza is now required to adhere to the prison diet.
Human Rights Watch highlighted that the sentences of Mabuza and Dube underscore the lack of accountability for serious violations by law enforcement during the 2021 protests. They emphasized that the imprisonment of dissenting voices in a judicial system that lacks impartiality further tarnishes Eswatini’s already poor human rights record.
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