The Almighty King of Swaziland, Mswati III, is afraid of the revolutions that lie ahead and has agreed to get off his high throne and ask the leaders of the revolt to stop the protests planned for next week. The influence of changes in Arab countries has caused a wave of protests in one of the last African kingdoms ruled with an iron fist.
"The king is afraid that there is a revolution and, therefore, has sent his advisers to ask us to stop the protests," said Muzi Mhalanga, one of the organizers of the marches. "We have responded that we will not stop until there is a real democracy with a multiparty system." Meanwhile, the king has instructed the police to control the streets and has established controls at all border posts with South Africa to prevent the demonstrations can succeed or at least that the Government's response has been made public (the press is very prosecuted).
The March 18 Mswati III and saw the streets of the capital, Mbabane, were filled with protesters demanding higher wages and more social services. "It will not be easy," says the weakened, punished and opposition faded, he has seen in recent years as each attempt to get civil rights ended with arrests and torture by the people of Mswati III.
Swaziland is an atypical, ravaged by AIDS, which affects at least 30% of the population, and a subsistence agricultural economy for most of the subjects of one of the richest men in southern Africa and head of State of one of the most miserable of all Africa. Mswati III has 13 women who used to travel by private jet to go shopping at the best stores abroad and has a good collection of luxury sports cars and homes of high standing.
The king, crowned in 1986, decided in 2003 to re-ban all political parties and appoint a Cabinet finger controls at will. Only agreed in 2006 to enact a Constitution that has been criticized by many international organizations. Simply, Swaziland is, in practice, the country estate of one of the last despot monarch in southern Africa.
"The king is afraid that the gravy train is over," say the opponents. 
"The king is afraid that there is a revolution and, therefore, has sent his advisers to ask us to stop the protests," said Muzi Mhalanga, one of the organizers of the marches. "We have responded that we will not stop until there is a real democracy with a multiparty system." Meanwhile, the king has instructed the police to control the streets and has established controls at all border posts with South Africa to prevent the demonstrations can succeed or at least that the Government's response has been made public (the press is very prosecuted).
The March 18 Mswati III and saw the streets of the capital, Mbabane, were filled with protesters demanding higher wages and more social services. "It will not be easy," says the weakened, punished and opposition faded, he has seen in recent years as each attempt to get civil rights ended with arrests and torture by the people of Mswati III.
Swaziland is an atypical, ravaged by AIDS, which affects at least 30% of the population, and a subsistence agricultural economy for most of the subjects of one of the richest men in southern Africa and head of State of one of the most miserable of all Africa. Mswati III has 13 women who used to travel by private jet to go shopping at the best stores abroad and has a good collection of luxury sports cars and homes of high standing.
The king, crowned in 1986, decided in 2003 to re-ban all political parties and appoint a Cabinet finger controls at will. Only agreed in 2006 to enact a Constitution that has been criticized by many international organizations. Simply, Swaziland is, in practice, the country estate of one of the last despot monarch in southern Africa.
"The king is afraid that the gravy train is over," say the opponents.
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