Thulani Rudolf Maseko (1 March 1970 – 21 January 2023)[1] was a Swazi human rights lawyer[2] who previously served as the Secretary General of the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).
[6] In 2009, he represented the Swaziland National Ex-Miners Workers Group in their successful case against the government for failing to uphold the provisions of the Constitution that all Swazi children would receive free primary education within three years of it being implemented.
[8][9][10][11] In April 2014, People's United Democratic Movement General Secretary Mlungisi Makhanya was arrested for wearing a party T-shirt to protest the incarceration of Maseko and journalist Bheki Makhubu.
[19] After Maseko's death, Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin'ono tweeted that the assassination was "a chilling reminder of how the corrupt political elites are prepared to do anything to shut down pro-democracy voices".
The government of Eswatini released a statement saying that "Maseko's demise is a loss to the Nation and his footprints as a human rights lawyer are there as proof of his contribution to the country" and said that an investigation would be carried out to bring his killers to justice.
"[18] On 23 January 2023, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, Flavia Mwangovya, said that Maseko's murder was "a chilling reminder" that those who call for political reform in Eswatini were not safe.