(4 minutes read)
- Poro-democracy agitation is continuing in Eswatini. One person died and at least 80 people were injured in pro-democracy protests
- The protests are continuing unabated, while African leaders and the United Nations are telling monarchy and protesters to engage in negotiations to end the stalemate
- There are reports that gunfire was heard in the capital city Mbabane and at least one person died in the day because of the unrest.
Poro-democracy agitation is continuing in Eswatini. One person died and at least 80 people were injured in pro-democracy protests. The protests are continuing unabated, while African leaders and the United Nations are telling monarchy and protesters to engage in negotiations to end the stalemate.
There are reports that gunfire was heard in the capital city Mbabane and at least one person died in the day because of the unrest. A trade union leader, who is actively involved in the demonstrations said that fifty of its members were taken to hospital in the capital Mbabane, with another 30 hospitalised in the city of Manzini. Most of them have gunshot wounds. News reports say that police and military are patrolling the cities and trying to disperse the protesters using tear gas and rubber bullets.
Eswatini was formerly known as Swaziland and has been under the rule of monarchy for quite some time. To quell the protests, the authorities had shut down the internet as images of the violence began circulating on social media. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke with King Mswati III, the ruler of the country by telephone. Some reports say that he called on the other members of the regional group to meet the king and sort out the matter. Ramaphosa currently is the chairman of Southern African Development Community, a security organ of SADC. The statement said Ramaphosa had ordered high-level envoys to fly to Eswatini to meet the king for sorting out the issue at the earliest.
The latest is that students, transport workers and civil servants extended protests that have brought the tiny nation to a halt for more than two weeks now. Apart from heavy injuries sustained by protesters, trade unionists say that at least 29-people lost their lives. King Mswati III, who is being criticized for leading a lavish life has ruled this landlocked nation since 1986. He is a major stakeholder of all telecom companies, which are reported to be making profits
