eSwatini’s King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch, flees country: report
- King Mswati III, who has ruled since 1986, reportedly flees country amid protests
- Kingdom formerly known as Swaziland is Taiwan’s last diplomatic ally in Africa
King Mswati III of eSwatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, has allegedly fled his country as pro-democracy protests turned violent, according to the South African Broadcasting Corp.
But eSwatini government spokesman Sabelo Dlamini denied the king had fled, Reuters reported.
Demonstrators have set fire to several shops in Matsapha town in central eSwatini, according to neighbouring South Africa’s state-owned broadcaster. Police fired tear gas and water cannons at the protesters demanding democracy in the country that has banned political parties since the early 1970s.
eSwatini, which was previously known as Swaziland until 2018, has been led by King Mswati III since 1986 when he was 18.
It is one of Africa’s smallest countries and is Taiwan’s last diplomatic ally in Africa. The kingdom has for years resisted switching ties to China.
