Eswatini
Eswatini: Africa's Last Absolute Monarchy
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is Africa's last absolute monarchy. King Mswati III has reigned unchallenged since 1986 over this small country of 1.2 million inhabitants, landlocked between South Africa and Mozambique. The king has 15 wives, an estimated fortune of $200 million, and a taste for luxury cars. Meanwhile, 60% of his subjects live below the poverty line and the country has the world's highest HIV rate.
The 2021 Protests
In 2021, Swazis took to the streets to demand democracy. The repression was brutal: dozens killed, hundreds injured. The king restored order by force. Political parties are banned, the press muzzled. The economy — sugar, textiles, tourism — depends heavily on neighbouring South Africa.
The Ubuntu Strength: Traditions and Survival
Eswatini maintains living traditions: the Umhlanga ceremony (Reed Dance), where thousands of young women parade before the king, is spectacular — and controversial. The Incwala ceremony (Festival of the First Fruits) celebrates the king and the harvest. Family and clan solidarity is the real safety net. HIV/AIDS has decimated an entire generation.
« Injobo enhle ngeyakwabonina »
A fine cloth is worn at the neighbour's
— Proverb siswati
Eswatini reminds us that traditions can be both beautiful and oppressive, and that kings can dance while their people suffer.