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Kingdom of Eswatini

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Kingdom of Eswatini
Umbuso weSwatini
Flag of Kingdom of Eswatini
Flag
Coat of arms of Kingdom of Eswatini
Coat of arms
Location of Kingdom of Eswatini
CapitalMbabane (executive)
Lobamba (legislative)
Largest cityManzini
Official languagesEnglish, Siswati
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy
• King
Mswati III
• Queen
Ntfombi
• Prime Minister
Cleopas Dlamini
Area
• Total
17,364 km²
Population
• 2020 estimate
1,160,164


Eswatini, officially the Kingdom of Eswatini, is a small country in Southern Africa. It is the only absolute monarchy in Africa. Until 2018, it was known as Swaziland.[1] The Communist Party of Swaziland was banned in 2011 but still operates with its headquarters in South Africa.[2] Eswatini has a high level of poverty, low life expectancy, and the worst HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world.[3]

History[edit | edit source]

Eswatini gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. It had a multi-party system until 1973, when King Sobhuza II repealed the constitution and established an absolute monarchy. He formed a standing army to defend the royal family. Sobhuza died in 1982 and his son, Mswati III, has ruled since then.[4]

Democracy Now[edit | edit source]

In 2019, the Communist Party of Swaziland began the Democracy Now campaign to end the monarchy. Non-communist parties such as the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress and People's United Democratic Movement are also involved in the struggle against Mswati.[4] Since May 2022, the monarchy's forces have killed over 100 protestors.[5]

Government[edit | edit source]

Eswatini holds elections to parliament every five years but political parties are not allowed to participate and the king can dissolve the parliament whenever he wants to.[4]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Moses Tofa (2013-05-16). Swaziland: Wither absolute monarchism? Pambazuka News. Archived from the original on 2014-10-19. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  2. "La lutte révolutionnaire continue au Swaziland : le Parti communiste affirme son soutien aux grèves et manifestations qui ébranlent la monarchie absolue Mswati" (2011-06-24). Solidarité Internationale PCF. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  3. "Communist Party of Swaziland's 5th National Congress to be held on April 6-9" (2023-04-02). In Defense of Communism. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Pius Vilakati (2022-06-21). "Boiling Point: The Struggle against Capitalism and Monarchy in Swaziland" Red Africa. Archived from the original on 2022-06-23. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  5. Eugene Puryear (2021-10-14). "Are the Days Numbered for Africa's Last Absolute Monarch" BreakThrough News. Retrieved 2022-12-20.