THE PEOPLE'S MANIFESTO

PREAMBLE:
We the people of Swaziland met on the 6th day of July 1983 to form the People’s United Democratic Movement, to represent fully the interests of the people of Swaziland and to unite them against undemocratic governance, oppression, exploitation, unfair discrimination, corruption, nepotism and favouritism. We declare to the world that Swaziland belongs to all its citizens regardless of race, colour, sex, religion or social status and that the People’s United Democratic Movement is our true representative. We declare ourselves to struggling together in unity until final victory.

MISSION:
We are a political movement committed to the creation, protection and promotion of; a constitutional multi party democracy, a transparent and accountable government, an environment conducive to economic growth and empowerment and, to the development of a culturally vibrant and tolerant society based on maximum participation and the respect of the will of the people.

GOALS:
1) To create a constitutional multi-party democracy
Swaziland shall be governed by a written constitution whose system of governance shall be based on the universal principles of multi-party democracy. The country’s constitution shall be the supreme law of the land.


2) To create a government based on majority will.
There shall be an elected and accountable government based on the will of the majority.
All eligible citizens shall have the right to vote and stand for elections as candidates without regard to race , colour, sex, religion or social status.
The people shall through their representative organs influence and enjoy effective participation in the running of the country.

3) To promote economic growth, development and the empowerment of citizens.
The country’s production relations shall be based on the principles of a mixed market economy.
There shall be a healthy environment for economic growth and development.
Effective interventions shall be implemented to promote the economic empowerment of the people and uproot the evils of poverty and backwardness. The national wealth and natural resources shall be utilized for the benefit of all the people.

4) To promote and protect access to land and security tenure.
Land as an important asset for development shall be used for the benefit of all. It shall fall under the direct administration of the central government.
Access to available land and security of tenure shall be promoted and protected to avoid landlessness and squatting.
There shall be no arbitrary removal of people from land.

5) To promote job creation and high levels of employment.
Effective measures shall be implemented to promote job creation and high levels of employment.
Government shall at all times promote the development and maintenance of sound and equitable tripartite relations between state, labor and capital.
Men and women shall receive equal pay for equal work of equal value.
There shall be an end to the use of child labor.
All workers shall enjoy the freedom of association, expression and bargaining.
A worker’s Development Fund shall be established to promote the economic empowerment of workers and provide for their social security needs.

6) To protect the right to education and promote the sustenance of high levels of relevant education.
As a basic human right education shall be compulsory and universal.
For all children in public schools primary education shall be free and/ or subsidized.
Education shall mean, amongst other things, teaching the young to love and respect their people, their culture, environment, liberty and international peace.
Adult education shall be promoted through a country wide scheme.

7) To protect the right to life.
Every person shall have the right to life

8) To promote good public health and improve the quality of life for all.
To promote the ideals of a healthy and productive nation, primary care shall be free or subsidized by the state.
Every person shall have access to affordable tertiary health care at public hospitals and health centers.
The right to shelter shall be respected and housing needs for all shall be given top priority.
Effective measures will be taken to cater for the disadvantaged, the youth, women, aged orphaned and disabled with regard to social and economic upliftment, welfare benefits, housing and security.

9) To promote and develop the rich heritage of Swazi culture.
Cultural institutions shall be open to all and there shall be a free exchange of literature and ideas.
Swazi law and custom shall be codified and published for the general information of the public.
Customs and practices that are contrary to basic human rights shall be prohibited.

10) To promote the observance and protection of basic Human Rights.
All Human Rights as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the All Africa Charter on Human and People’s Rights and other international conventions shall be respected and protected by law.
There shall be equality between men and women in all respects of social, economic and political life.
The right to worship, organize and assemble shall be protected by law.
There shall be an end to detention and deportation without trial in a court of law.

The law, police and army shall serve to protect the people. They shall cease to be used as instruments of repression.
Prisons shall not be used as institutions of revenge, but of re-education and rehabilitation.

VALUES:
We discharge our responsibilities and duties to our fellow members, the people of Swaziland and society with honesty and integrity:

To the international community we declare that:
We shall work towards maintaining peace in our region, in Africa and the world at large and that we believe in the settlement of both domestic and international disputes by peaceful negotiations.

We identify ourselves with all democratic forces in the world which are struggling against oppression of all forms.

We recognize and support the right of all peoples of the world to independence, sovereignty and self determination.

We shall subscribe to the United Nations, African Union, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and other relevant international; organizations.

We strongly condemn the degradation of the environment, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the arming of space and we call upon all the democratic forces of the world to unite against all such threats to human existence.


“OUR UNITY IN DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH”
Embili ne Nsika yeNkhululeko yemaSwati!!




NB: This document is the property of the People’s United Democratic Movement. It shall not be reproduced any way whatsoever without permission.