Why is Swazi king not held to account for his abuses?
Country has been gripped by years of fiscal ill-discipline and government corruption
LAST WEEK it was widely reported that the King of Eswatini, King Mswati III, took delivery of a fleet of new Toyota Lexus motor vehicles. Following this purchase, thousands of Swazi nationals took to the streets, expressing their disgust at this wasteful expenditure.
Given the fact that Eswatini is one of the poorest countries in Africa, why do the SADC, the AU and the UN allow such extravagance or condone such wastage on the part of this tyrant?
Mswati III (born Makhosetive; April 19, 1968) is the king (Swazi; Ngwenyama, Ingwenyama yema Swati) of Eswatini and head of the Swazi Royal Family. He was born in Manzini, Eswatini, to King Sobhuza II and one of his younger wives Ntfombi Tfwala. He was crowned as Mswati III, Ingwenyama and king of Eswatini, on April 25, 1986, at the age of 18, thus becoming the youngest ruling monarch in the world at the time.
Together with his mother, now Queen Mother (Indlovukati), he rules the country with an iron fist.
Mswati III is well-known for his practice of polygamy (although at least two wives are appointed by the state) and currently has 15 wives.
Eswatini has been gripped by years of fiscal ill-discipline and government corruption. The nation has been on the brink of economic disaster due to these factors. Under Swazi law and custom, the king is vested with virtually all powers of the state. Despite Eswatini having a prime minister, he holds supreme executive authority over the legislature and courts. Mswati’s reign has been criticised for its many alleged human rights violations.
His regime has been accused of using torture and excessive force to control the masses, as well as blatant discrimination against various dissenting groups. His government has restricted freedom of speech, assembly and association, and has harassed activists and journalists. The government has reportedly targeted labour leaders and activists against child labour, among other groups.
The courts took little or no action to punish Mswati’s actions or the officials who committed the abuses.
Yet in contrast, countries such as Iraq, Libya and Syria have had incursions, attacks and destruction effected on them to a point of total annihilation because of allegations of human rights violations. In the case of Libya and Iraq, their leaders have been assassinated. Iran, which has been devastated by crippling sanctions for no apparent reason, has been singled out for destruction. When one asks the question “why”, we are told that it is because these countries pose threats to their national interests and security.
However, the truth is that national security and interest is merely a smoke screen and a pretext used to militarily occupy these countries.
He has been accused of kidnapping women he desires to marry, although no case can be brought against him for fear of reprisals. In 2000, he allegedly called for a parliamentary meeting to debate whether HIV-positive people should be “sterilised and branded”.
Mswati has been criticised for his lavish lifestyle, especially by the media. In the 2014 national budget, parliament allocated $61 million (about R900m) for the king’s annual household budget, while 63% of Swazis live on less than $1.25 (about R20) per day. Following criticism of his purchase of luxury cars, including a $500 000 (about R7.5m) DaimlerChrysler’s flagship Maybach 62 luxury automobile, he banned the taking of photographs of any of his vehicles. According to the Forbes 2009 list of the World’s 15 Richest Royals, King Mswati is worth a reported $200m.
In January 2004, the Times of Eswatini reported that the king asked his government to spend about $15m to redecorate three main palaces and build others for 11 of his wives.
In August 2008, Swazi scouts marched through the capital protesting the cost of a shopping spree taken abroad by nine of the king’s wives.
The demonstration was organised by Positive Living, a non-governmental organisation for Swazi women living with AIDS. Mswati has a personal stake in a large portion of Eswatini’s economy, which is a factor in its below-average economic growth.
As an absolute monarch, he holds the power to dissolve parties and can veto any legislation parliament passes. I hope there will come a day when these African leaders are held to account for all these abuses they have poured on their people and return this public wealth that they have stolen.
If not, the people will surely rise against them.
“He allegedly called for a parliamentary meeting to debate whether HIVpositive people should be ‘sterilised’