Formerly a member of the House of Assembly of Eswatini, he was arrested during the 2021 protests, and in 2024 was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of terrorism, sedition, and murder, in a trial condemned by national and international human rights organisations.
[1][3] In June 2021, Mabuza was among three pro-democracy MPs who advocated in parliament for the prime minister to become a democratically elected role, rather than chosen by the monarch.
[5] In June 2021, anti-monarchy protests broke out in Eswatini following an incident in a village in Manzini Region where someone publicly called for a democratically elected prime minister.
[6] Protests had already occurred on a smaller scale in May following the death of a university student, Thabani Nkomonye, who was alleged to have been killed by police officers.
Protestors also demanded justice for Nkomonye, as well as a repeal of a decree issued by Mswati that banned petitions calling for democratic reforms in Eswatini.
[12] Later that month, on 20 October, police fired live ammunition and tear gas at a bus transporting people into Mbabane to protest Mabuza and Dube's ongoing incarceration.
[14] During their detainment, concerns were raised that Mabuza had been beaten in custody and denied access to legal representation by human rights organisations including Amnesty International.
[15] Mabuza pled not guilty to the charges against him, and his and Dube's joint trial began on 20 October 2021 at the High Court in Mbabane before Judge Mumcy Dlamini.
[1][8][16] They both faced an additional charge of murder, in relation to the deaths of two men, Siphosethu Mntshali and Thando Shongwe, who were hit by a car at roadblock set up by protestors on 29 June.