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Photo: Swaziland National Union of Students president Colani Maseko speaking to a demonstration delivering a petition to parliament. Credit — Swaziland Youth Congress
After half a century of brutal rule by an absolute monarchy and determined popular struggle, a new wave of pro-democracy resistance in eSwatini, formerly known as Swaziland, may be on the verge of finally bringing the kingdom down. In recent weeks, thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in the most significant mass uprising eSwatini’s King Mswati III has ever faced.
Sandwiched between South Africa and Mozambique, two-thirds of residents languish in poverty. When the country gained independence in 1968, the British imperialists arranged for post-colonial rule to go to a hereditary monarchy willing to secure their business interests. Life expectancy averages only 51 years. The coronavirus pandemic made a bad situation worse. With popular frustration building up in recent months, the elites wedded to the institutions of the absolute monarchy — and especially the king himself — continued to enjoy their extravagant lifestyles.