Africa's last absolute monarchy sees growing calls for change
King Mswati III has been criticised for his lavish spending while most of the country lives in poverty [File: Ludovic Marin/AFP]
King Mswati III has been criticised for his lavish spending while most of the country lives in poverty [File: Ludovic Marin/AFP]
‘One man’s land’
With unfettered political power over his 1.3 million people and ruling by decree, the king is Africa’s only absolute monarch and one of the few remaining in the world.
Crowned in 1986 when he was just 18, the king has 15 wives and has come under fire for his lavish spending while most inhabitants live below the poverty line.
“We are the youth of Swaziland and we are so much depressed by the government,” a young male protester said. “Our government is not being fair; it is just a one man’s land.”
Demonstrations are rare in Eswatini, where political parties are not allowed to run in national elections. In 2019, the country was rocked by a series of strikes by civil servants who accused the monarch of draining public coffers at the expense of his subjects.
Even though people are allowed to vote for members of parliament, the opposition says the process is not an election – rather a selection of people signed off by the king.
“Us, as young people of the land, do not want the king to be part of the government,” said Sakhile Nxumalo, member of Swaziland Youth Congress. “And if he wants to be part of the government, he must first be a citizen like the rest of us and go to work like every one of us.”
Resident Gugu Dlamini told AFP from Manzini that “the confrontation is not going to end soon”.
“Even after curfew you can still hear gunshots between youths and police in our neighbourhood,” Dlamini said.
Witnesses in Manzini and Mbabane reported seeing soldiers patrolling the streets where protesters have been burning tyres and stoning cars.
A Manzini resident told AFP she and colleagues were holed up in the restaurant where they worked and were unable to return home.
“Helicopters are extinguishing the fires lit on the roads,” she said, asking not to be named.
“Security forces are on the ground to maintain law and order,” he added.
“We are a nation that believes in dialogue. Government has opened an email address where Emaswati can continue to direct their concerns and petitions.”
Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku described the unrest as “alarming and upsetting”.
“We have witnessed violence in several parts of the country perpetuated by an unruly crowd where people have been attacked, property destroyed,” he said in a statement.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
Link to full article:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/30/tensions-run-high-eswatini-pro-democracy-protests-continue
