Swazi State Shakeup

[Sungoldy-China]

I took a look at history.
This country was originally a tribal gathering place specially designated by the British to hinder South Africa.
This place is just a group of tribes,
Due to the historical contradiction between South Africa and the United Kingdom, this place was forcibly turned into a country without any history of modern governance.
Want to enter a democratic society directly from the slave society?
What an opportunity for large-scale social observation,
It is time to have a Social Science +3

[New Odrana]

I took a look at history.
This country was originally a tribal gathering place specially designated by the British to hinder South Africa.
This place is just a group of tribes,
Due to the historical contradiction between South Africa and the United Kingdom, this place was forcibly turned into a country without any history of modern governance.
Want to enter a democratic society directly from the slave society?
What an opportunity for large-scale social observation,
It is time to have a Social Science +3

That's the story of most of Africa's countries. Most modern political borders in Sub-Saharan Africa are the same as the European colonial borders. It's not like the Europeans were going to take the time to sit down and draw up sensible borders that respected indigenous ethnic differences.

[Kowani]

accusations that orders have been given to arrest MPs Bacede Mabuza and Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelane

and confirmed

[Salus Maior]

I took a look at history.
This country was originally a tribal gathering place specially designated by the British to hinder South Africa.
This place is just a group of tribes,
Due to the historical contradiction between South Africa and the United Kingdom, this place was forcibly turned into a country without any history of modern governance.
Want to enter a democratic society directly from the slave society?
What an opportunity for large-scale social observation,
It is time to have a Social Science +3

I mean, every country at its simplest is just a gathering of tribes.

[Ifreann]

Tired: Nigerian prince needs your help to get his money out of the country
Wired: Swazi king needs your help to get himself out of the country.

[Luna Amore]

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.

Swazis are historically very peaceful and have a pride around how non-wartorn their monarchy is in contrast with the continent as a whole. I’ve often wondered what if anything was going to be the catalyst to change that. The fact that public opinion has shifted and the willingness to push onward like this and destroy businesses associated with him, yeah, he should be worried. He always struck me as a stereotypical corrupt leader, more concerned with himself than a clear future for his people. Swazis deserve better than that guy.

I’m genuinely proud of the Swazis. I hope they are successful.

[Kowani]

King Mswati’s daughter, Sikhanyiso Dlamini and Eswatini’s Information Minister claims that the protestors are actually "foreign mercenaries"

also, eSwatini Police invade Good Shepherd Hospital’s morgue searching for protesters shot dead during protests against the rule of King Mswati III

Members of the Royal Eswatini Police Services (REPS) have allegedly invaded the Good Shepherd Hospital’s morgue searching for the bodies of protesters who were shot during the pro-democracy protests.
Mayibongwe Masangane, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) confirmed the matter adding that it was ethically wrong for the police to get access to the bodies of the victims without their relatives.
“This matter has reached our attention, it is ethically wrong for the police to view bodies without involving the affected family members, we have also received reports that they also invaded the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital grabbing bullets from injured victims. Even here, it shows that they are still pushing their agenda of concealing evidence. Nurses are also advocates for justice, it is also wrong for government and the police to intimidate them since those who died in the hands of police also need justice”, said the SWADNU Secretary General.
According to a source close to the matter, yesterday (Friday) evening, a group of police officers got access to the hospital’s morgue with the intention of examining the bodies of the victims of the recent protests.
“What made us suspicious is that the police came alone without the family members of the victims, we suspect that they are trying to conceal evidence. We were warned not to leak this information since it’s a top secret”, said the source.
[...] Questions were sent to Phindile Vilakati, the eSwatini Police Spokesperson, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
When reached for comments, Zwelakhe Moahloli, the Communications Officer of Good Shepherd Hospital said he was not aware of the matter.
“I’m not aware of this matter, but under normal circumstances an autopsy is done in the presence of relatives. I cannot reveal any details regarding our clients since as a hospital we are guided by ethics”, he said.

[Salus Maior]

King Mswati’s daughter, Sikhanyiso Dlamini and Eswatini’s Information Minister claims that the protestors are actually "foreign mercenaries"

Is this the Swaziland equivalent of ‘ANTIFA DID THE INSURRECTION’?

[Shofercia]

Tired: Nigerian prince needs your help to get his money out of the country
Wired: Swazi king needs your help to get himself out of the country.

That's pretty funny.

[Kowani]

King Mswati’s daughter, Sikhanyiso Dlamini and Eswatini’s Information Minister claims that the protestors are actually "foreign mercenaries"

Is this the Swaziland equivalent of ‘ANTIFA DID THE INSURRECTION’?

sort of
muh foreign instigators is a long-running trope of authoritarians everywhere

[Shofercia]

Is this the Swaziland equivalent of ‘ANTIFA DID THE INSURRECTION’?

sort of
muh foreign instigators is a long-running trope of authoritarians everywhere

Scary part is that they just might be right:

The 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt, also known as the Wonga Coup,[1] failed to replace President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo with exiled opposition politician Severo Moto. Mercenaries organised by mainly British financiers were arrested in Zimbabwe on 7 March 2004 before they could carry out the plot. Prosecutors alleged that Moto was to be installed as the new president in return for preferential oil rights to corporations affiliated to those involved with the coup.[2] The incident received international media attention after the reported involvement of Sir Mark Thatcher in funding the coup, for which he was convicted and fined in South Africa.

I'm not saying that's the case in Swaziland, don't know enough about the country to make that conclusion and they don't have oil, but I certainly wouldn't put it past a merc or two to try and stage a coup in exchange for slaves. Those Libyan Slave Markets of Freedom aren't going to fill themselves, they need an invisible hand...

[Kowani]

In what I can only describe as a supreme act of tone-deafness, King Mswati III appoints new Prime Minister, Cleopas Sipho Dlamini
this act was immediately denounced as a violation of the Constitution by MP Bacede Mabuza

[The Archregimancy]

In what I can only describe as a supreme act of tone-deafness, King Mswati III appoints new Prime Minister, Cleopas Sipho Dlamini

Points for the obscure classical Biblical name, though.

[The Grene Knyght]

It's bizarre to me that people are willing to support a dictator so long as they adopt the title of 'king'

[Old Tyrannia]

It's bizarre to me that people are willing to support a dictator so long as they adopt the title of 'king'

Bold words from the self-declared Leninist.

[Exalted Inquellian State]

It's bizarre to me that people are willing to support a dictator so long as they adopt the title of 'king'

I don't support dictatorial monarchies, but I would rather eSwatini reform as I am fine with semi-constitutional ones. Of course, I only advocate monarchies for nations that need stability.

[Sannyamathland]

It's bizarre to me that people are willing to support a dictator so long as they adopt the title of 'king'

Bold words from the self-declared Leninist.

Really? This proves you know absolutely nothing about Leninism.

[Old Tyrannia]

Bold words from the self-declared Leninist.

Really? This proves you know absolutely nothing about Leninism.

I think my understanding of how Leninism actually functioned in practice is probably significantly more useful than whatever propagandistic version you've swallowed. Anyone who denies Lenin was a dictator isn't worth taking seriously.

[Exalted Inquellian State]

Bold words from the self-declared Leninist.

Really? This proves you know absolutely nothing about Leninism.

I have no good sources on this, as the google dictionary isn't always reliable(it said anarchism has no government), and wikipedia is it's own thing. So, what is Leninism?

[Sannyamathland]

Really? This proves you know absolutely nothing about Leninism.

I think my understanding of how Leninism actually functioned in practice is probably significantly more useful than whatever propagandistic version you've swallowed. Anyone who denies Lenin was a dictator isn't worth taking seriously.

On the contrary, anyone who believes that Lenin was a dictator isn't worth taking seriously.

If you know your dates properly, you will remember that the Lenin ruled for just two years following the devastating Civil War. In such a situation, you can not possibly expect a direct democracy along the lines that Communism espouses. Had he lived longer, you and the entire so-called democratic USA will have seen a proper example of what truly a democracy is. If you had read any miniscule amount of Lenin's work, you will understand that Lenin's primary goal was the establishment of a Communist society, with direct democracy and very little(to none) government interference.

Lenin was one of the greatest advocate of democracy and people's power that has ever lived, and the practical situation under which he and the Bolsheviks had to work following the Russian Civil War does not do any justice to him and his ideals.

[Sannyamathland]

Really? This proves you know absolutely nothing about Leninism.

I have no good sources on this, as the google dictionary isn't always reliable(it said anarchism has no government), and wikipedia is it's own thing. So, what is Leninism?

Read Lenin's work, rather than reading an American biased online site which is run by Americans.

Btw, that was a terrible attempt at sarcasm.

[Exalted Inquellian State]

I think my understanding of how Leninism actually functioned in practice is probably significantly more useful than whatever propagandistic version you've swallowed. Anyone who denies Lenin was a dictator isn't worth taking seriously.

On the contrary, anyone who believes that Lenin was a dictator isn't worth taking seriously.

If you know your dates properly, you will remember that the Lenin ruled for just two years following the devastating Civil War. In such a situation, you can not possibly expect a direct democracy along the lines that Communism espouses. Had he lived longer, you and the entire so-called democratic USA will have seen a proper example of what truly a democracy is. If you had read any miniscule amount of Lenin's work, you will understand that Lenin's primary goal was the establishment of a Communist society, with direct democracy and very little(to none) government interference.

Lenin was one of the greatest advocate of democracy and people's power that has ever lived, and the practical situation under which he and the Bolsheviks had to work following the Russian Civil War does not do any justice to him and his ideals.

His party lost the 1917 constituent assembly election(and by lost, I mean his party didn't get the most seats), and had to dissolve the assembly because of it. Lenin wasn't well liked among the Russians, so not well liked he nearly lost the civil war to the disorganized white forces and that he had enemies in other socialists. Also, he was a dictator in his life, regardless of whether he wanted to end the dictatorship or not. Almost no party democratically earns 93.7% of the vote in a country that is still in a civil war with them.

[Ifreann]

It's bizarre to me that people are willing to support a dictator so long as they adopt the title of 'king'

God chose Mswati III to rule eSwatini, obviously.

[Shrillland]

It's bizarre to me that people are willing to support a dictator so long as they adopt the title of 'king'

God chose Mswati III to rule eSwatini, obviously.

If by God you mean his mother, then I suppose so.

[Kubra]

It's bizarre to me that people are willing to support a dictator so long as they adopt the title of 'king'

God chose Mswati III to rule eSwatini, obviously.

no I didn't