Eswatini protests: Tensions Escalate, Protestors Burn Down Brewery Partly Owned by King Mswati
- Protests have escalated their movement and have burned down a brewery King Mswati has shares in
- This comes after the government of eSwatini shut down internet services and imposed a curfew on citizens
- Witnesses have reported that citizens are being shot at by police and soldiers, adding that hospitals are being flooded
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As tensions continue to arise, protestors in Swaziland are said to have burned down a brewery KIng Mswati has shares in.
The protestors are demanding that the country takes a new direction and elects a prime minister. They are also calling on the implementation of a multi-party democracy.
Source: Getty Images
According to The Citizen, the government in eSwatini decided to implement a ban on internet access as well as impose a curfew from 6 PM to 5 AM. The government stated that the curfew was implemented due to concerns of Covid-19 infections.
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According to EWN, the Swaziland Solidarity Network's Lucky Lukhele told the publication that protestors had every intention to defy the curfew.
In an interview with SABC News, managing editor of Swaziland News Zweli Dlamini stated that the police and the army were shooting at protestors. He added the various hospitals were being flooded with casualties.
In regard to claims that King Mswati fled the country, Dlamini said the government was disputing allegations without evidence he is in the country.
"About a day or two ago we received information that the king fled the country but the government is disputing without even producing the king," he said.
Dlamini says until King Mswati addresses the nation they cannot believe the government's statement that he is in the country, adding that King Mswati had not addressed the of eSwatini in a long time.
Political activists and civil society groups have urged the international community to intervene as unrest continues.
King Mswati’s kids ridicule those who demand democracy, Swatis not impressed
Briefly News previously reported that a large fraction of people online felt King Mswati III's children have made a mockery of the royal house by ridiculing all those who seek to uproot Eswatini's absolute monarchy.
Taking to Instagram Live, it seems the young monarchs have had enough of citizens complaining about the desperate political situation in the country, however, the call for democracy is not a laughing matter to many people in eSwatini.
Eswatini is an absolute monarchy where little to no say is given to the people of the nation on political reform. It seems the royals have definitely let the power get to their heads, disrespecting the very people they are meant to serve.
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Source: Briefly News
