Lucky Dlamini, the Coordinator of the Swaziland Unemployed People’s Movement (SUPMO) says around 63% of the population of eSwatini live below the poverty line.
He has urged the Government to regulate cannabis farming rather than destroy illicit plantations which the rural poor rely on to sustain themselves.
He said that “destroying dagga” will push more emaSwati deeper into poverty.
Reacting to news that the police were destroying cannabis plantations (pictured here courtesy the Swaziland News) around Sikhunyane-Nyakeni in the Hhohho region last month, Dlamini urged the Government to look at ways of legalizing traditional growers rather than persecuting them.
“SUPMO condemns this exercise being carried out by the Royal Eswatini Police because it throws hundreds thousands emaSwati in to the pit of poverty.” Dlamini told The Swaziland News on 29 October 2025.
“Our organization has called on the government to regulate marijuana in the country to create the much needed jobs, and open new opportunities in the economy. This marijuana informal economy has been the pillar of our economy in Eswatini, and to legalize it can create billions industry through manufacturing many products like medicine, and skin care products etc.”
“The unemployed youths and people general at the SUPMO’S 4th Annual National Unemployed People’s Assembly resolved that the Government must legalize marijuana in Eswatini,” he said.
Dlamini said SUPMO called on the Ministry of Economic Planning to undertake comprehensive research to “ascertain the economic benefits of legalizing the marijuana to create new industries, for jobs creation”.
Although the Kingdom of eSwatini has signalled its intention to legalize cannabis, political haggling has delayed the creation of a cannabis framework and no Act of Parliament has yet been passed to enable licensing.
