By Richard Mudyazvivi – LIPR Ambassador of Peace in Zimbabwe
The Kingdom of Eswatini (Formerly Swaziland), is one of the last absolute monarchs in Africa and is in turmoil and a serious threat to its existence is hulking on the horizon.
Map of Southern Africa
Starting in May of 2021, protests have gathered momentum with protesters demanding an open society, multiparty democracy, resignation of King Mswati III and attention to the economy that has been spiraling down for a long time against the king’s opulence and kleptocratic tendencies.
Civil society organisations, free-lance journalists, citizen journalists and a new generation of investigators-cum-reporters-cum-broadcasters have been providing information of what is happening in the country amidst an internet shutdown. They have not only been exposing the monarchy but filling the information gaps that are intentionally being omitted by the government. Reports coming from the country indicate that more than 50 people have been killed and hundreds are being treated for gunshot wounds, an indicator of excessive use of force against the protesters. News trickled in a few days ago that King Mswati III was nowhere to be found and thought to have fled the country after ‘surrendering’ the throne to the military commander to whom he asked to ‘protect’ it. The country has been turned into a military state with accusations and counter accusations thrown at each other, wanton killing of protesters and targeting of security personnel by protesters as a strategy. Protesters have written and appealed to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Criminal Court, the South African government and anyone who care to listen for assistance and a solution that incorporates their demands.
Protesters marching against King Mswati. Unknown location
Amidst all this commotion, one would expect SADC to spring to action and provide leadership in restoration of peace in Eswatini but the organisation as usual has been found wanting again. SADC as the regional organisation responsible for Southern Africa is expected to be at the forefront. The organisation has been blamed for its handling of conflicts in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa and now Eswatini. The SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security’s current chair, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi dispatched a fact finding mission to Eswatini that was criticized for meeting only people from the government of Eswatini, leaving out the other side in the conflict. Analysts accuse the organisation of doing nothing to advance people’s lives and freedoms in Southern Africa. It is being accused or perpetuating peoples suffering by supporting rogue regimes and the status quo in the region. Critics have accused the organisation of slow reaction, partisan intervention and everyone in Eswatini and beyond is awaiting the outcome of the organisation’s planned oncoming second consultation that is supposed to be done in the country.
A lot of people are not very optimistic about SADC’s intervention and this is a golden opportunity for the regional organisation to demonstrate its commitment to preservation of peace and security in the region. Failure to finding a lasting solution that takes onboard the grievances of the involved parties will further feed into the critics negative portrayal of the organisation as a ‘toothless bulldog’.
Richard Mudyazvivi
Ambassador for Peace, Zimbabwe
