The last absolute monarchy of Africa remaining in Eswatini is on verge of collapse.
Allegedly, Eswatini King Mswati III left the country, despite the government denies it.
The immediate cause of the protest was when three pro-democracy MPs advocated for the introduction of a more democratic system.
Demonstrations against the authoritarian monarchy have escalated since the shooting in the eye of Thabani Nkomonye, a student in mid-May. Marches took place in at least 10 locations, mainly in rural areas despite a ban placed by the king on pro-democracy demonstrations. The King Mswati unleashes soldiers to kill civilians.
Activists accuse the king of running a repressive government and evading calls for reforms in Eswatini. The king has also been accused of using public coffers to fund a lavish lifestyle off the backs of 1.5 million citizens, most of them subsistence farmers. Protesters are calling for a democratic government that will serve the people’s interests. King Mswati III has been criticised for his lavish spending while most of the country lives in poverty. Thus, citizens want the King to surrender power.
Protestors have marched across the kingdom – mostly in rural areas – to deliver petitions at local government centres calling for widespread reforms. Among them is a demand they be allowed to elect the prime minister.
The Kingdom of Eswatini has seen a wave of protests over the past month.
On 16 June 2021, it was reported the youth marched along the highway to deliver a petition to the Kwaluseni Member of Parliament, demanding that he withdraws his statement that constituents are happy with the Tinkhundla system. The Tinkhundla system is a form of governance based on traditional administrative subdivisions. There are 55 Tinkhundla in Swaziland scattered around the four districts. Under the Tinkhundla system, the balloting is done on a non-partisan basis. The Tinkhundla system features a bicameral parliament comprising the House of Assembly of 65 members, 55 of which are elected from candidates nominated by traditional local councils while the other 10 are appointed. The upper house of parliament or Senate has 30 non-partisan members, 10 of which are elected by the parliament and the other 20 appointed by the monarch to serve five-year terms.
The protest is power based by left-leaning parties: the socialist People’s United Democratic Movement, the Communist Party of Swaziland, headquartered in the Republic of South Africa, Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (holdingNkrumaism ideology), and center-left Swazi Democratic Party.
The protest is highly likely to be backed by China, as it shows its rise in Africa. China has many reasons to see the Eswatini King gone. A new government in Eswatini will most certainly switch from recognizing the People’s Republic of China over the Republic of China, known as Taiwan. China would love this – and it’s important to this communist superpower. Eswatini is the only African Country having diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
The King Mswati III rules as an absolute monarch. He has been in power for over three decades. The 53-year-old monarch denies being an autocrat, and is unrepentant about the lifestyle enjoyed by him and his 15 wives, who occupy several state-funded palaces.
When the constitution took effect, the 1973 decree that banned political parties lapsed; the constitution provides for freedom of association but does not address how political parties can operate, including how they can contest elections. In 2006 the minister of justice and constitutional affairs stated that political organizations could hold meetings at “tinkhundla” (local government) centers if they obtained permission from the regional administrator and allowed a police officer to attend the meeting. However, political and civic organizations reported problems with traditional authorities when they requested permission to meet.
The 2008 Suppression of Terrorism Act, used to silence dissent and ban certain political organizations, remained in effect.
Human rights problems included inability of citizens to change their government; extrajudicial killings by security forces; mob killings; use of torture by the police, beatings, and excessive force on detainees; police impunity; arbitrary arrests and lengthy pretrial detention; arbitrary interference with privacy and home; restrictions on freedoms of speech and press and harassment of journalists; restrictions on freedoms of assembly, association, and movement; prohibitions on political activity and harassment of political activists; discrimination and violence against women; child abuse; trafficking in persons; societal discrimination against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community; discrimination against mixed-race and white citizens; harassment of labor leaders; restrictions on worker rights; and child labor.
The regime used the internet blackout to invade people’s homes, randomly assault, shoot and kill people, hoping that attacks would not be detected.
There is a good chance China has taken advantage of the sentiments in the kingdom to boost friendly political forces to power in Eswatini. The king’s policy obviously favored that, as he threw human rights and democratic national development out of the window, and fueled corruption.
