Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew amid pro-democracy protests that have rocked the country for a few days now.
Activists have promised to intensify demonstrations demanding democratic reforms and the lifting of bans on all opposition parties in the Kingdom.
Videos of people burning tires and barricading streets in the largest city, Manzini, and the central town of Matsapha have been circulating on social media.
“Unfortunately, the protests we are seeing of late have been hijacked by criminal elements. Such cannot be acceptable under any circumstances,” acting prime minister Themba Masuku said in a statement yesterday.
To quell the unrest the government ordered all businesses to close by 3:30pm (13.30GMT) and a strict curfew to have all residents off the streets from 6pm until 5 am. Schools were told to close immediately.
King Mswati III, Africa’s last remaining absolute monarch who has ruled the country for more than three decades, is accused by the demonstrators of human rights abuses and running a repressive government.
His family, including 15 wives, is accused of enjoying a lavish lifestyle while most of the country’s 1.1 million people are impoverished, according to human rights groups.
Political parties were banned in 1973 and are barred from participating in parliamentary elections in the country, which was formerly known as Swaziland.
The Eswatini government on Tuesday denied claims that the king had fled the country.
“His Majesty King Mswati III is in the country and continues to lead in working with the government to advance the kingdom’s goals,” said the acting prime minister.
He called for “calm, restraint and peace,” saying the government would update the nation on the government’s “interventions on the current situation”.
Aljazeera
