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Mswati III
Monarch of Eswatini since 1986 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mswati III (born Makhosetive Dlamini; 19 April 1968)[2] is the Ngwenyama (King) of Eswatini and head of the Swazi royal family. He heads an absolute monarchy, as he has unrestricted political authority and veto power over all branches of government and is constitutionally immune from prosecution.[3][4] Along with his mother Queen Ntfombi, Mswati is the last remaining absolute monarch in Africa and one of the only twelve remaining absolute national or subnational monarchs in the world.[5]
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Under the constitution, the king is the commander-in-chief of the defence force and commissioner-in-chief of police and correctional services, and Mswati effectively controls local governance through his influence over traditional chiefs.[6][7] Political dissent and civic and labor activism in Eswatini are subject to harsh punishment under laws against sedition and other laws.[6] In 2018, Mswati promulgated a decree renaming the country to Eswatini, from its previous name of Swaziland.[8][9] Pro-democracy protests from 2021 onwards have been violently dispersed and political activists have been arrested.[10][11]
Mswati lives an opulent and lavish lifestyle which stands in sharp contrast to the lives of most Emaswazi people.[12][13][14][15][16][17] In 2022, an estimated 32% of the population lived below the US$2.15/day international poverty line (measured by price-purchasing parity (PPP) in 2017) while 55% of the population was under the lower-middle-income country poverty line of $3.65/day.[18] The government exercises total control over the broadcast media, including the only privately owned TV channel, which belongs to the royal family. Almost all media outlets are either directly or indirectly controlled by Mswati III.[citation needed]
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Early life
Mswati III was born Makhosetive Dlamini on 19 April 1968 at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, Manzini, as the son of Sobhuza II (who had 70 wives during his reign of 82 years) and Ntfombi.[19][20]
When King Sobhuza II died on 21 August 1982, the Great Council of State (the Liqoqo) selected the 14-year-old prince Makhosetive to be the next king.[21]
Reign
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Mswati was introduced as crown prince in September 1983 and was crowned king on 25 April 1986, six days after turning 18, making him the youngest reigning monarch in the world at the time.[22][23] He inherited an absolute monarchy from his father, who had ruled by decree since 1973 and banned all political parties.[24]
Mswati III is Africa's last absolute monarch in the sense that he has the power to choose the prime minister, other top government posts and top traditional posts. Despite his role in appointing such positions, Mswati is still required to get special advice from the queen mother and council when choosing positions such as prime minister; similarly, in matters of cabinet appointments, Mswati is advised by the prime minister. Mswati ruled by decree, but he chose to restore the nation's Parliament, which had been dissolved by his father in order to ensure concentration of power remained with the king. Parliamentarians are appointed either by Mswati himself (two-thirds of the senators and ten deputies) or elected by traditional chiefs close to power. Close to the evangelical churches, he banned divorce and the wearing of miniskirts.[25]
In an attempt to mitigate the HIV/AIDS pandemic in 2001, the king used his traditional powers to invoke a time-honoured chastity rite (umcwasho) under the patronage of a princess, which encouraged all Swazi maidens to abstain from sexual relations for five years. This was last done under Sobhuza II in 1971.[26] This rite banned sexual relations for Swazis under 18 years of age from 9 September 2001 to 19 August 2005. However, two months after imposing the ban, Mswati violated the decree by choosing a 17-year-old liphovela (royal fiancée) as one of his wives.[27]
In 2005, Mswati promulgated a new constitution, ending the state of emergency that had been in force since 1973.[24] The constitution allows for freedom of speech and assembly; according to Amnesty International, however, such freedoms are restricted in practice.[22]
On 19 April 2018, Mswati changed the name of the country from Swaziland to Eswatini to mark the year of its 50th anniversary of independence.[28] The name change coincided with his 50th birthday. Eswatini is the ancient, original name for the country, chosen as a departure from its colonial past.[29]
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Mswati has visited Taiwan seventeen times as of June 2018, and has pledged to continue recognizing Taiwan instead of the People's Republic of China.[30]
Eswatini is predominantly rural and is one of the poorest countries in the world (63% of its population lives below the poverty line). An economic circle of 15,000 businessmen and politicians controls most of the country's wealth. This circle includes South African investors who have come to Eswatini to find labour at one-third the cost and a group of white businessmen who are heirs to the British settlers.[25]
In January 2021, Mswati contracted COVID-19, and he later thanked Taiwan for providing antiviral medication that helped with his recovery. Mswati did not disclose that he had been hospitalized until after his recovery.[31][32]
In June 2021, a series of protests broke out against authoritarianism and the suppression of opposition. The Communist Party of Swaziland alleged he had fled to South Africa on the night of 28–29 June, whereas the Swaziland Solidarity Network claimed he fled to Mozambique. Both of these claims were denied by acting prime minister Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku.[32][33]
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Family and succession
As of 2024[update], Mswati had eleven wives in polygamous marriage and was thought to have twenty children.[34] The first two wives were chosen for him by national councillors. There are complex rules on succession. Traditionally the king is chosen through his mother as represented in the Swazi saying Inkhosi, yinkhosi ngenina, meaning "a king is king through his mother".[35]
Controversies
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Mswati's reign has brought some changes in the government and political transformation. However, critics such as the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO)[36] believe that these changes are solely aimed at strengthening and perpetuating the traditional order.[37] His attendance at the May 2012 Sovereign Monarchs lunch, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, caused some controversy, given criticisms of his regime's human rights record.[38]
Mswati's reign has been criticized for its several alleged human rights violations. His regime has been accused of using torture and excessive force to control the masses as well as blatant discrimination against various dissenting groups. His regime has been accused of extrajudicial killings by his forces, along with arbitrary arrests, detentions, and unwarranted searches and seizures of homes and property. His government has restricted freedom of speech, assembly and association, and has harassed activists and journalists. The government has reportedly targeted the LGBT community, labour leaders, and activists against child labour, among other groups. The courts took little or no action to punish Mswati's actions or the officials who committed the abuses.[39]
Mswati has been accused of kidnapping women he desires to marry.[40][41] In addition, in 2000 he allegedly called for a parliamentary meeting to debate if HIV-positive people should be "sterilized and branded".[42]
Wealth
Mswati has been criticized for his lavish lifestyle, especially by the media; in one report he was accused of living a luxurious lifestyle while the people of his country starve.[43][44] In the 2014 national budget, parliament allocated US$61 million for the King's annual household budget,[45] while 63% of Swazis live on less than US$1.25 per day.[46] Mswati banned photography of his automobiles after he was criticized for purchasing luxury cars, such as a $500,000 DaimlerChrysler Maybach 62.[47] According to the Forbes 2009 list of the World's 15 Richest Royals, King Mswati is worth a reported US$200 million.[14] In January 2004 the Times of Swaziland reported that the king asked his government to spend about $15-million to redecorate three main palaces and build others for each of his thirteen wives.[13] The Prime Minister's Office issued a press statement saying the article in the Times of Swaziland was "reckless and untrue" and that the proposal was for the construction of 5 State Houses, not Palaces, and the cost was only €19.9 million.[12] Later that year the go-ahead was given to build five new buildings at a cost of more than US$4 million out of public funds.[48] In August 2008, hundreds of Swazi women marched through the capital to protest the cost of a shopping spree taken abroad by nine of the King's thirteen wives.[49] The demonstration was organised by Positive Living, a non-governmental organisation for Swazi women with AIDS, and protesters submitted a petition to the finance minister arguing that the money should have been differently spent.[49]
Mswati owns a collection of bespoke watches worth millions of US dollars.[4]
Mswati has a personal stake in a large portion of Eswatini's economy which is a factor in its below-average economic growth for a Sub-Saharan nation. As an absolute monarch, he holds the power to dissolve parties, and can veto any legislation parliament passes.[42]
LaMahlangu controversy
According to accusations by Amnesty International, Zena Mahlangu, an 18-year-old high school student, disappeared from her school in October 2002. Her mother, Lindiwe Dlamini, learned that her daughter had been taken by two men, Qethuka Sgombeni Dlamini and Tulujani Sikhondze, and she reported the matter to the police. Some time later, she was told that her daughter was at Ludzidzini Royal Village and was being prepared to be the next wife of the king.[50]
Among the criteria for a liphovela (future bride) is that the girl must not be a twin; Zena Mahlangu was half of a brother-sister twin set, and therefore not eligible.[51] The matter went to the High Court, but Swaziland's Attorney-General Phesheya Dlamini intervened.[40]
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Honours
National
- Grand Master of the Royal Order of King Sobhuza II (1986)[52]
- Grand Master of the Royal Order of the Great She-Elephant (2002)
- Grand Master of the Royal Order of the Crown (2002)
- Grand Master of the Royal Family Order of Mswati III (2002)
- Grand Master of the Military Order of Swaziland (2002)
- Grand Master of the Order of the Elephant (2018)[53]
Foreign
United Kingdom: Knight of the Venerable Order of St John (11 November 1991)[54]
South Africa: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope (August 1995)[55][56]
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See also
- Without the King, 2007 documentary film featuring Mswati III and his daughter Princess Sikhanyiso.
References
Bibliography
External links
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