Swazi State Shakeup

[New Odrana]

Source

Thousands of people have taken to social media after reports that King Mswati III of Eswatini has fled the kingdom after pro-democracy protests turned into chaos.

There are unconfirmed reports that protesters went on the rampage and set fire to several shops in Matsapha.

Several people have also been injured during the protests.

a developing situation, so the OP is brief (will update with more info as more things become available)

but basically, King Mswati III of eSwatini (the country that most of us know as Swaziland) has fled the country after pro-democracy protests turned violent. this country is one of the few remaining absolute monarchies in the world, currently led by the House of Dlamini. Protestors demand many things, but the key demands are the legalization of political parties and an elected Prime Minister. (Mswati, for obvious reasons, is opposed)
so, NSG, do we think this will turn into a toppling of the monarchy? or will this all just settle down in a few weeks and the status quo gets maintained?

my understanding is that a catalyst of the violence was the king issuing a decree banning delivery of petitions.

So, some protestors rioted and his first reaction was to run away? Sounds like a pretty bitch king if you ask me.

[Kermit T Frog]

They will install a puppet king
literally, they'll use a hand puppet to imitate the king

Kermit is going to be happy.

Miss Piggy said no, they get the Swedish chef as their new king

[A z a n i a]

Damn. I saw a guy that looked like him earlier today in Sandton, but I was convinced I was seeing things. Kidding, of course. I don't really see any other way out for Mswati III than to enact at least token reforms. I've never been a fan of the Swati monarchy and would honestly prefer that eSwatini becomes a republic, but I don't see this happening any time soon. As has been already noted, constitutional monarchy has worked out for Lesotho, and it could very well work out for eSwatini as well. Ramaphosa currently has his hands full, and isn't likely to intervene beyond "urging calm", but it'd be interesting nonetheless to see how he handles the situation.

[New haven america]

i mean, the PRC isn't communist nor legitimate but ok

You mean Taiwan is legitimate? What a joke!

How is the currently most capitalist country in the entire world (China) communist?

[Kowani]

protestors defy government curfew, destroy government-owned shops

also the military seems to have been deployed and King Mswati had the internet shut down...after Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku told protesters to submit their grievances via email

[Salus Maior]

protestors defy government curfew, destroy government-owned shops

also the military seems to have been deployed and King Mswati had the internet shut down...after Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku told protesters to submit their grievances via email

This guy really hasn’t read anything on the fall of other monarchies, has he?

Whose side is the military on?

[Exalted Inquellian State]

protestors defy government curfew, destroy government-owned shops

also the military seems to have been deployed and King Mswati had the internet shut down...after Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku told protesters to submit their grievances via email

This guy really hasn’t read anything on the fall of other monarchies, has he?

Whose side is the military on?

If they're neutral, might there be a military regency?

[Exalted Inquellian State]

protestors defy government curfew, destroy government-owned shops

also the military seems to have been deployed and King Mswati had the internet shut down...after Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku told protesters to submit their grievances via email

How hard is it to find work in eSwatini, in case those government employees need jobs?

Also, man, this guy is really pulling an Alexander I.

[Kowani]

protestors defy government curfew, destroy government-owned shops

also the military seems to have been deployed and King Mswati had the internet shut down...after Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku told protesters to submit their grievances via email

This guy really hasn’t read anything on the fall of other monarchies, has he?

Whose side is the military on?

government, i think

---

curfew imposed from 6PM to 5AM. Schools closed, military and police have been deployed

[Salus Maior]

This guy really hasn’t read anything on the fall of other monarchies, has he?

Whose side is the military on?

government, i think

---

curfew imposed from 6PM to 5AM. Schools closed, military and police have been deployed

Well, in that case I’d place my bets on the government. The guys with the most guns tend to win these things.

[New Odrana]

government, i think

---

curfew imposed from 6PM to 5AM. Schools closed, military and police have been deployed

Well, in that case I’d place my bets on the government. The guys with the most guns tend to win these things.

Well, the protestors could always try fighting guns with flowers. It worked in Portugal and Eastern Europe, it might work here. I mean, probably not, but you never know, right?

[Salus Maior]

Well, in that case I’d place my bets on the government. The guys with the most guns tend to win these things.

Well, the protestors could always try fighting guns with flowers. It worked in Portugal and Eastern Europe, it might work here. I mean, probably not, but you never know, right?

We’re not in Europe though, when does that sort of thing work in Africa?

[New Odrana]

Well, the protestors could always try fighting guns with flowers. It worked in Portugal and Eastern Europe, it might work here. I mean, probably not, but you never know, right?

We’re not in Europe though, when does that sort of thing work in Africa?

Hence why I said, "probably not," but I was mostly just making a joke. Realistically, they'd get shot in the face if they tried that. European governments actually somewhat give a shit about their people (more so than African governments, anyway).

[Shofercia]

According to the BBC, the Eswatini government is denying that Mswati III has left the country.

I know it's a case of 'well they would, wouldn't they', but there you go.


If Mswati is sensible, he'll grant the legalisation of political parties and the election of a prime minister. He could potentially get away with being an absolute monarch if he was based in the Gulf, but he rules a small country ravaged by AIDS that's economically dependent on two neighbouring democracies, so he should embrace reality. Constitutional monarchy works for Lesotho, so there's no reason why it can't work in Eswatini.


Edit:
And for those of you writing that 'he seems a decent enough person', there are some traditional Swazi customs that directly benefit the king that could perhaps be revisited. Don't be jealous, now, heterosexual men.

Umm, erm, guys, we need to Liberate Swaziland. Now was part of this here liberation movement, we need to install a trustworthy NSGer to ensure that the women in the palace have their needs met in the absence of the King. I humbly recommend myself for the role. Viva La Revolucion! Or Liberation! Or Whatever! Damn, this is like Prima Nocta every night... erm, I mean that Swaziland has like WMDs, and like Human Rights Violations, and like needs Democracy, and like has Chinese/Russian Oppression somewhere, like and such as... someone tied to the arms industry said it, so it must be true!

[Adamede]

If you’re going to make your king flee the country at least have a guillotine at your protest/riot/mob.

[Adamede]

According to the BBC, the Eswatini government is denying that Mswati III has left the country.

I know it's a case of 'well they would, wouldn't they', but there you go.


If Mswati is sensible, he'll grant the legalisation of political parties and the election of a prime minister. He could potentially get away with being an absolute monarch if he was based in the Gulf, but he rules a small country ravaged by AIDS that's economically dependent on two neighbouring democracies, so he should embrace reality. Constitutional monarchy works for Lesotho, so there's no reason why it can't work in Eswatini.


Edit:
And for those of you writing that 'he seems a decent enough person', there are some traditional Swazi customs that directly benefit the king that could perhaps be revisited. Don't be jealous, now, heterosexual men.

Umm, erm, guys, we need to Liberate Swaziland. Now was part of this here liberation movement, we need to install a trustworthy NSGer to ensure that the women in the palace have their needs met in the absence of the King. I humbly recommend myself for the role. Viva La Revolucion! Or Liberation! Or Whatever! Damn, this is like Prima Nocta every night... erm, I mean that Swaziland has like WMDs, and like Human Rights Violations, and like needs Democracy, and like has Chinese/Russian Oppression somewhere, like and such as... someone tied to the arms industry said it, so it must be true!

Counterpoint; put me on the throne as King Adamede I and let me live a life of luxury and debauchery and I’ll let you rape the country for all of its resources, figuratively and literally.

[Heloin]

Well, the protestors could always try fighting guns with flowers. It worked in Portugal and Eastern Europe, it might work here. I mean, probably not, but you never know, right?

We’re not in Europe though, when does that sort of thing work in Africa?

It didn’t work in Europe to be brutally honest. The Carnation Revolution had already succeeded before the protestors came out and Yugoslavia showed what happens when the army isn’t down with the change being pushed.

[Adamede]

Well, in that case I’d place my bets on the government. The guys with the most guns tend to win these things.

Well, the protestors could always try fighting guns with flowers. It worked in Portugal and Eastern Europe, it might work here. I mean, probably not, but you never know, right?

Last I checked the revolution in Romania was pretty violent. And Yugoslavia was Yugoslavia.

[New Odrana]

Well, the protestors could always try fighting guns with flowers. It worked in Portugal and Eastern Europe, it might work here. I mean, probably not, but you never know, right?

Last I checked the revolution in Romania was pretty violent. And Yugoslavia was Yugoslavia.

I know. For some reason I thought I'd mentioned Romania, but I guess not. Weird. And Yugoslavia was a bit separate from the fall of the rest of the communist regimes. Namely because their government functioned differently from them in a lot of ways. To my knowledge, it's generally not included in discussions of the "color revolutions" while Romania is (mostly because they had already transitioned away from communism at this point, but that's neither here nor there).

Regardless, it was a joke post, no need to take it so seriously.

[Adamede]

Last I checked the revolution in Romania was pretty violent. And Yugoslavia was Yugoslavia.

I know. For some reason I thought I'd mentioned Romania, but I guess not. Weird. And Yugoslavia was a bit separate from the fall of the rest of the communist regimes. Namely because their government functioned differently from them in a lot of ways. To my knowledge, it's generally not included in discussions of the "color revolutions" while Romania is (mostly because they had already transitioned away from communism at this point, but that's neither here nor there).

Regardless, it was a joke post, no need to take it so seriously.

No worries.

[Bear Stearns]

The king should do what all competent African warlords do: recruit foreign mercenaries!

Long live the king and long live whatever ragtag gang of South Africans, ex-British paratroopers, US Iraq veterans, former French Foreign Legionnaires, and Belgian mining executives he manages to conjure up.

[Debate Proxy 1]

I can't believe anyone would defend monarchism and stand up for crowned bandits.

We fought a Revolution to get rid of them, you know.

[Sungoldy-China]

This is Africa, this kind of conflict is as rich as the air in Lay’s potato chips，
We also know what will happen next. A corrupt regime as strong as Lay’s Potatoes will rule this country.

[Punished UMN]

I can't believe anyone would defend monarchism and stand up for crowned bandits.

We fought a Revolution to get rid of them, you know.

Swaziland, well known for being part of the United States.

[Kowani]

Armed forces shooting at civilians in Manzini

no i don't know what ammunition they used

they're also using bush knives, slashers and sjamboks (a type of heavy leather whip)

unconfirmed reports that soldiers have also been deployed in Matsapha

EDIT: and confirmed

Pro-government paper The Times of eSwatini shut down by protestors
(okay but when the editor is also the king's speechwriter do you really get to call yourself a newspaper)