This week’s violent protests in the Kingdom of Eswatini really had their genesis in the simmering student anger that started weeks ago after the “murder of a student by police in cold blood,” opposition Pudemo’s Sonke Dube says.
The death of Eswatini student Thabani Nkomonye in May spurred fellow young people on to take to the street in protest. It’s believed that Nkomonye died in police custody as a result of brutal treatment, although the police claimed he was in a car accident.
Multiparty democracy
On the students’ list of grievances was the demand for a multiparty democracy that would hold institutions like the police to account. There are elections in this absolute monarchy but political parties are banned. The police and military are geared towards serving the interests of King Mswati III first.
“Democracy is not only going to change the lives of our people but is also going to
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