Police in Swaziland (eSwatini) used whips, batons and teargas to break up groups of revellers who had gathered together breaking new stricter coronavirus regulations. Police in the capital city Mbabane and the industrial town of Matsapha were reportedly patrolling streets on the lookout for people breaking the rules introduced on Friday (18 December 2020.) They […]
Tag: Swaziland
An excerpt from the CIVICUS Monitor report: Of Africa’s 49 countries [covered in the report], six are rated as closed, 21 as repressed and 14 as obstructed. Civic space is open in the island states of Cabo Verde and São Tomé and Principe and narrowed in six countries. Since the previous update, civic space ratings […]
Their Majesties have commanded that I inform the nation of the sad and untimely passing away of His Excellency the Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini. His Excellency passed on this afternoon while under medical care in a hospital in South Africa. Government in collaboration with the family will keep the nation informed of subsequent arrangements. […]
Nine out of ten people in Swaziland (eSwatini) will not be able to get a coronavirus vaccine in 2021, according to a new report. This is because the kingdom is poor and richer nations have made deals with manufacturers and will get vaccines ahead of others. The People’s Vaccine Alliance, a coalition of global and […]
King Mswati III, the absolute monarch of Swaziland (eSwatini) is reportedly set to grab more than 90 percent of the shares in some of the kingdom’s prestigious hotels. He will in effect own the Royal Swazi Spa Resort at Ezulwini by taking it into the Tibiyo Taka Ngwane conglomerate that he controls ‘on behalf of […]
The elections were quite well run, say the African Union and SADC. But to what end? Eswatini – or Swaziland as some of its citizens still call it – held last Friday what should be called a reasonably competent charade of a legislative election. The polls were essentially meaningless as Parliament has no power in […]
London — Thulani Maseko knew speaking out in Eswatini was a risky business. An activist and well-known human rights lawyer, he’d previously spent 14 months in jail for criticising the country’s lack of judicial independence. Now he’s dead, shot in his home by unknown assailants. Among those Maseko litigated against was the country’s tyrannical ruler, […]
Without Maseko’s leadership, the Multi-Stakeholder Forum that pushes for democratic change shows signs of falling apart. Seven months after his murder, it is evident how much the absence of political activist and human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko has weakened Eswatini’s chances of a genuine transition to democracy. Maseko, who headed the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF), a […]
It is an oft-repeated fact that the deadliest creature on earth is the mosquito, a terrifying transmitter of the malaria parasite. According to the most recent World Malaria Report 2022, there were 619 000 deaths in 2021, with 90% of these occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Those most likely to die are children under five years […]
On Tuesday, 5 September, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen will visit Eswatini, Taipei’s only remaining diplomatic ally in Africa. Meanwhile, Beijing’s political influence on the continent continues to grow. Tsai will head to Eswatini on 5 September, and attend celebrations marking the African nation’s independence day and King Mswati III’s birthday during the visit, her spokeswoman […]
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has wrapped up a visit to eSwatini, Taipei’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, after signing a string of development agreements. But will the relationship hold? eSwatini is one of only 13 countries worldwide that officially recognise Taiwan over China, which claims the self-ruled island as its own territory. As such the […]
The people of Eswatini head to the polls Friday for elections – despite the fact that political parties are banned. In the last absolute monarchy of Africa, formerly known as Swaziland, all powers are vested in King Mswati III. Elected members of parliament serve as his advisors. More than 580,000 registered voters will elect 59 […]