Eswatini anti-monarchy riots turn deadly

MBABANE, Eswatini 

Streets in Eswatini were deserted on Wednesday as pro-democracy activists claimed eight people were killed in clashes with police in the latest bout of unrest rocking Africa’s last absolute monarchy.

Demonstrations had been relatively low key for weeks, but escalated on Monday in the tiny and usually stable landlocked kingdom previously known as Swaziland, with protesters taking to the streets in the two capitals Manzini and Mbabane to demand political reform.

Police refused to confirm the alleged deaths as well as injuries, saying they do not divulge such information to international media.

The government, which has deployed soldiers as angry crowds blocked traffic and looted shops, imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew — citing rising coronavirus cases.

But witnesses said violent clashes were continuing between protesters and police.

Lucky Lukhele, spokesman for the pro-democracy Swaziland Solidarity Network, claimed that eight activists were shot dead overnight in the administrative capital Manzini.

Lukhele said they were among around 28 protesters who had been shot, some of whom were taken to hospitals in the early hours of the morning.

Internet access has been limited since Tuesday, he added, accusing the government of a shutdown.

Wandile Dludlu, secretary general of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), said shops were closed and towns were “run by soldiers” on Wednesday.

“Between yesterday and today we have got fresh reports of almost 18 people who have been shot,” he told AFP.

Burning tyres barricaded the streets Wednesday afternoon, with the sound of gunshots heard sporadically on the deserted streets of Mbabane, according to an AFP correspondent on the ground.

“We slept with the sound of gunshots and woke still to gunshots fired,” said Mbongwa Dlamini, head of the Swaziland teachers association, adding: “The looting and destruction of property became intense.”

A brewery partially owned by King Mswati III was also torched, Dlamini said.

Eswatini has long stifled dissent and pro-democracy movements, with political parties banned since 1973, in the southern African country, where the king names government ministers and controls the parliament.

But simmering frustration boiled over this month into sporadic demonstrations that prompted the government to forbid all protests last week — a move that only served to stoke further anger.