Mswati III

Mswati III was born on 19 April 1968 at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, Manzini, the son of Sobhuza II (who had 70 wives during his reign of 82 years).{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2335941.stm | work=BBC News | title='Mother-in-law' sues Swazi king | date=17 October 2002}}

When King Sobhuza II died on 21 August 1982, the Great Council of State (the Liqoqo) selected the 14-year-old prince Makhosetive to be the next king.Simelane, Hamilton Sipho. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ftz_gtO-pngC&dq=mswati+iii&pg=PA1521 "Swaziland: Reign of Mswati III," in Encyclopedia of African History, p. 1528.]

File:King Mswati III Giving a Speech at Buhleni Royal Residence during Buganu Ceremony 2025.jpg

File:President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet His Majesty King Mswati III, Kingdom of Swaziland, and Her Royal Highness Queen Inkhosikati La Mbikiza.jpg with US President Barack Obama on 5 August 2014]]

File:04.17_兩國元首雙邊會談，與恩史瓦帝三世國王握手合影_(27657744488).jpgese President Tsai Ing-wen in Eswatini on 17 April 2018]]

File:Shinzo Abe and King Mswati III at the Enthronement of Naruhito (1).jpg on 21 October 2019]]

Mswati was introduced as crown prince in September 1983 and was crowned king on 25 April 1986, aged 18 years and 6 days, thus making him one of the youngest reigning monarchs of the late 20th century,{{Cite web |date=2015-05-28 |title=Five things you didn't know about human rights in Swaziland |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2015/05/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-human-rights-in-swaziland/ |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=Amnesty International |language=en}}{{Cite web |last2=Shaw |first1=Caroline|last1=Praderio|first2=Gabbi |title=16 of the youngest monarchs in history |url=https://www.insider.com/youngest-monarchs-in-history-2017-2 |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=Insider |language=en-US}}

Today, King Mswati III is Africa's last absolute monarch in the sense that he has the power to choose the prime minister, other top government posts and top traditional posts. Despite his role in appointing such positions, Mswati is still required to get special advice from the queen mother and council when choosing positions such as prime minister; similarly, in matters of cabinet appointments, Mswati is advised by the prime minister. Mswati ruled by decree, but he chose to restore the nation's Parliament, which had been dissolved by his father in order to ensure concentration of power remained with the king. Parliamentarians are appointed either by Mswati himself (two-thirds of the senators and ten deputies) or elected by traditional chiefs close to power. Close to the evangelical churches, he banned divorce and the wearing of miniskirts.{{Cite web|url=https://mondediplo.com/2018/10/10swaziland|title=Africa's last absolute monarchy|work=Le Monde Diplomatique|first=Alan|last=Vicky|date=October 2018|access-date=19 November 2023}}

In 2006, Mswati promulgated a new constitution that allows freedom of speech and assembly. However, Amnesty International criticizes that such freedoms are restricted in practice.

In an attempt to mitigate the HIV and AIDS pandemic in 2001, the king used his traditional powers to invoke a time-honoured chastity rite (umcwasho) under the patronage of a princess, which encouraged all Swazi maidens to abstain from sexual relations for five years. This was last done under Sobhuza II in 1971.{{cite web |url=http://ozoutback.com.au/Swaziland/mcwasho_71/index.html |title=The uMcwasho Ceremony in 1971 |date=10 March 2014 |website=ozoutback.com.au |first=Ludo |last=Kuipers |publisher=OzOutback |location=Cairns, Queensland, Australia |access-date=26 April 2014 |quote=Photos of the umcwasho Ceremony in 1971, in which girls finish a period of moral restrictions and dance in front of the King.}} This rite banned sexual relations for Swazis under 18 years of age from 9 September 2001 to 19 August 2005, but just two months after imposing the ban, he violated this decree when a 17-year-old liphovela (royal fiancée) was chosen,{{cite news |title=Swazi king drops sex-ban tassels |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4165432.stm |access-date=29 January 2019 |publisher=BBC |date=23 August 2005}} who became his 13th wife.

Mswati has visited Taiwan seventeen times as of June 2018, and has promised to continue recognizing Taiwan instead of the People's Republic of China.{{cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/06/09/2003694584 |newspaper=Taipei Times |title=Swazi king promises loyalty to Taiwan |first=Stacy |last=Hsu |date=9 June 2018}}

Eswatini is predominantly rural and is one of the poorest countries in the world (63% of its population lives below the poverty line). An economic circle of 15,000 businessmen controls most of the country's wealth. This circle includes South African investors who have come to Eswatini to find labour at one-third the cost and a group of white businessmen who are heirs to the British settlers.

In January 2021, Mswati contracted COVID-19, and he later thanked Taiwan for providing antiviral medication that helped with his recovery. Mswati did not disclose that he had been hospitalized until after his recovery.{{cite news |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/20/eswatini-king-recovers-from-covid-takes-drugs-sent-by-taiwan |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=20 February 2021 |title=Eswatini king recovers from COVID, thanks Taiwan for sending drug}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=1304|title=News :: The Eswatini News|website=www.swazilandnews.co.za}}

In June 2021, the 2021 Eswatini protests broke out against authoritarianism and the suppression of opposition. The Communist Party of Swaziland alleged he had fled to South Africa on the night of 28–29 June, whereas the Swaziland Solidarity Network claimed he fled to Mozambique. Both of these claims were denied by acting prime minister Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku.{{Cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/protests-rock-eswatini-govt-denies-reports-that-king-mswati-fled-20210629|title=WATCH | Protests rock eSwatini, govt denies reports that King Mswati fled|first=Compiled by Nicole|last=McCain|website=News24}}

{{Main|Succession to the Swazi throne}}

File:Meeting with the Queens of the Kingdom of Swaziland by Mrs. Akie Abe July 26, 2013.jpg, wife of then-Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, in 2013]]

{{As of|2024}} the king had eleven wives in polygamous marriage and was thought to have twenty children. The first two wives are chosen for him by the national councillors. There are complex rules on succession. Traditionally the king is chosen through his mother as represented in the Swazi saying Inkhosi, yinkhosi ngenina, meaning "a king is king through his mother".{{cite journal| title=A ritual of kingship among the Swazi| author=Hilda Kuper| journal=Journal of the International African Institute|volume=14|number=5|pages=230–257|year=1944|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/africa/article/abs/ritual-of-kingship-among-the-swazi1/10C45EAF52049F6647196F31818A40F7}}

Mswati's reign has brought some changes in the government and political transformation. However, critics such as the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO){{cite web |url=http://pudemo.org/images/Secretary_Generals_Historical_Documents/pudemo%20rejects%20the%20dlamini%20family%20constitution.pdf |title=PUDEMO rejects the Dlamini family constitution as it is meant to legitimize the continued oppression of our people by one family, King Mswati's family |author=People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) |author-link=People's United Democratic Movement |last2=Dlamini |first2=Ignatius Bonginkosi |date=31 July 2005 |website=pudemo.org |publisher=PUDEMO |location=Swaziland |access-date=26 April 2014 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} believe that these changes are solely aimed at strengthening and perpetuating the traditional order.{{cite web |url=http://www.iss.co.za/uploads/SWAZIJUN03.PDF |title=Swaziland: The King's Constitution |last=Maroleng |first=Chris |date=26 June 2003 |website=iss.co.za |publisher=European Union Institute for Security Studies |location=Paris, France |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808190714/http://www.iss.co.za/uploads/SWAZIJUN03.PDF |archive-date=8 August 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=26 April 2014}} His attendance at the May 2012 Sovereign Monarchs lunch, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, caused some controversy, given criticisms of his regime's human rights record.{{cite news |last1=The Daily Telegraph |author-link1=The Daily Telegraph |date=18 May 2012 |title=King of Bahrain lunches with Queen as human rights storm rages |journal=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/9274690/King-of-Bahrain-lunches-with-Queen-as-human-rights-storm-rages.html |department=UK News |location=London, UK |issn=0307-1235 |oclc=49632006 |access-date=26 April 2014}}

Mswati's reign has been criticized for its several alleged human rights violations. His regime has been accused of using torture and excessive force to control the masses as well as blatant discrimination against various dissenting groups. His regime has been accused of extrajudicial killings by his forces, along with arbitrary arrests, detentions, and unwarranted searches and seizures of homes and property. His government has restricted freedom of speech, assembly and association, and has harassed activists and journalists. The government has reportedly targeted the LGBT community, labour leaders, and activists against child labour, among other groups. The courts took little or no action to punish Mswati's actions or the officials who committed the abuses.{{cite web| title =Swaziland| work =United States Department of State| url =https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/186458.pdf}}

Mswati has been accused of kidnapping women he desires to marry.{{Cite web |date=2002-11-04 |title=Swaziland's Royal Bridal Mess - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/swazilands-royal-bridal-mess/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Grunwald |first=Michael |date=2002-11-06 |title=Changing What It Means to Be Swazi |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/11/06/changing-what-it-means-to-be-swazi/8225f236-fd31-40e6-9828-0e4fb897b40e/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |issn=0190-8286}} In addition, in 2000 he allegedly called for a parliamentary meeting to debate if HIV-positive people should be "sterilized and branded".

File:King Mswati III, 2006.jpg 2006]]

Mswati has been criticized for his lavish lifestyle, especially by the media; in one report he was accused of living a luxurious lifestyle while the people of his country starve.{{cite news|title=King of Bahrain lunches with Queen as human rights storm rages|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/9274690/King-of-Bahrain-lunches-with-Queen-as-human-rights-storm-rages.html|access-date=10 April 2013|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=18 May 2012}}[http://oleafrica.com/recent-post/king-mswati-is-bankrupting-swaziland-mornachy-not-for-africa/2777 King Mswati is Bankrupting Swaziland: Mornachy not for Africa!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517021833/http://oleafrica.com/recent-post/king-mswati-is-bankrupting-swaziland-mornachy-not-for-africa/2777 |date=17 May 2012 }}, Ole Africa In the 2014 national budget, parliament allocated $61 million (US) for the King's annual household budget,[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/14/king-mswati-iii-swaziland-increases-household-budget King of impoverished Swaziland increases household budget to $61m], Agence France-Presse in Mbabane, 15 May 2014, The Guardian while 63% of Swazis live on less than $1.25 per day.[http://www.sz.undp.org/content/swaziland/en/home/countryinfo/ UNDP] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140805160350/http://www.sz.undp.org/content/swaziland/en/home/countryinfo/ |date=5 August 2014 }}, About Swaziland Mswati banned photography of his automobiles after he was criticized for purchasing luxury cars, such as a $500,000 DaimlerChrysler Maybach 62.[http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfrica/News/Now-only-Mswati-owns-a-Maybach-20100614 Now only Mswati owns a Maybach!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127143005/http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfrica/News/Now-only-Mswati-owns-a-Maybach-20100614 |date=27 November 2012 }}, City Press, 25 January 2009 According to the Forbes 2009 list of the World's 15 Richest Royals, King Mswati is worth a reported $200 million.{{cite news| url= https://www.forbes.com/global/2008/0901/038.html | work=Forbes | first=Tatiana | last=Serafin | title=The World's Richest Royals | date=17 June 2009}} In January 2004 the Times of Swaziland reported that the king asked his government to spend about $15-million to redecorate three main palaces and build others for each of his thirteen wives.{{cite news|url=http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=128&fArticleId=323589|title=king needs R100m for palaces for 13 wives|date=13 April 2011|work=Cape Argus|location=South Africa}} {{Deadlink|date=May 2025|fix-attempted=yes}} The Prime Minister's Office issued a press statement saying the article in the Times of Swaziland was "reckless and untrue" and that the proposal was for the construction of 5 State Houses, not Palaces, and the cost was only €19.9 million.{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.sz/home.asp?pid=3804 |title=The Issue of '€1 Million Spent on Princess Sikhanyiso' and The Issue of 'Building' Royal Palaces by Swaziland Government |date=26 January 2004 |publisher=Prime Ministers Office |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071126001057/http://www.gov.sz/home.asp?pid=3804 |archive-date=26 November 2007 |url-status=dead |access-date=26 April 2014}} Later that year the go-ahead was given to build five new buildings at a cost of more than $4-million out of public funds.{{cite news|url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=84&art_id=qw1090765262958B224|title=Swazi king gets go ahead for wives' palaces|date=25 July 2004|newspaper=Independent Online|access-date=21 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430180521/http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1|archive-date=30 April 2009|url-status=dead}} In August 2008, hundreds of Swazi women marched through the capital to protest the cost of a shopping spree taken abroad by nine of the King's thirteen wives.{{Cite news |date=2008-08-21 |title=Swazi anger at royal wives' trip|work=BBC News |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7574824.stm |access-date=2023-07-28}} The demonstration was organised by Positive Living, a non-governmental organisation for Swazi women with AIDS, and protesters submitted a petition to the finance minister arguing that the money should have been differently spent.

Mswati owns a collection of bespoke watches worth millions of dollars.

Mswati has a personal stake in a large portion of Eswatini's economy which is a factor in its below-average economic growth for a Sub-Saharan nation. As an absolute monarch, he holds the power to dissolve parties, and can veto any legislation parliament passes.{{cite web| last =Davis| first =Rebecca| title =King Mswati to WEF: Swazi people don't want change| work =Daily Maverick| date =10 May 2013| url =http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-05-10-king-mswati-to-wef-swazi-people-dont-want-change/}}

According to accusations by Amnesty International, Zena Mahlangu, an 18-year-old high school student, disappeared from her school in October 2002. Her mother, Lindiwe Dlamini, learned that her daughter had been taken by two men, Qethuka Sgombeni Dlamini and Tulujani Sikhondze, and she reported the matter to the police. Some time later, she was told that her daughter was at Ludzidzini Royal Village and was being prepared to be the next wife of the king.Amnesty International: [https://web.archive.org/web/20041013054919/http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR550042004?open&of=ENG-SWZ "Swaziland: Human rights at risk in a climate of political and legal uncertainty,"Index No. AFR 55/004/2004.] 29 July 2004.

Among the criteria for a liphovela (future bride) is that the girl must not be a twin; Zena Mahlangu was half of a brother-sister twin set, and therefore not eligible.Wayua, Muli. [http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/Supplements/saturday/14122002/story07121.htm "A king, his culture, his wives,"] Daily Nation (Nairobi, Kenya). 7 December 2002. The matter went to the High Court, but Swaziland's Attorney-General Phesheya Dlamini intervened.

On 19 April 2018, King Mswati III changed the name of the country from Swaziland to Eswatini to mark its 50th anniversary of independence.{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/member-states/index.html|title=Member States | United Nations|website=www.un.org}} The name change coincided with the king's birthday. The actual anniversary took place on 6 September, though in the same year. Eswatini is the ancient, original name for the country, chosen as a departure from its colonial past.{{Cite web|url=https://allafrica.com/view/group/main/main/id/00060418.html|title=King Renames Swaziland to its 'Ancient', Pre-Colonial Name|date=20 April 2018|website=allAfrica.com}}

File:Royal Standard of Swaziland.svg

• {{flag|Eswatini}}: Grand Master of the Royal Order of King Sobhuza II (1986).{{Cite web|url=http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/cintas/africa/swazilandia1.gif|title=Decorations of Swaziland}}
• {{flag|Eswatini}}: Grand Master of the Royal Order of the Great She-Elephant (2002).
• {{flag|Eswatini}}: Grand Master of the Royal Order of the Crown (2002).
• {{flag|Eswatini}}: Grand Master of the Royal Family Order of Mswati III (2002).
• {{flag|Eswatini}}: Grand Master of the Military Order of Swaziland (2002).
• {{flag|Eswatini}}: Grand Master of the Order of the Elephant (2018).{{Cite web|url=https://www.taiwanembassy.org/sz_en/post/2808.html#:~:text=After+the+talks,+King+Mswati,cooperation+between+Taiwan+and+Swaziland|title=President Tsai meets King Mswati III of Swaziland, attends state banquet|first=Internet|last=Team|website=Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Kingdom of Eswatini 駐史瓦帝尼王國大使館}}

• {{flag|United Kingdom}}: Knight of the Venerable Order of St John (11 November 1991).{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/52712/page/17188|title=Page 17188 | Issue 52712, 11 November 1991 | London Gazette | The Gazette|website=www.thegazette.co.uk}}
• {{flag|South Africa}}: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope (August 1995).[http://www.info.gov.za/aboutgovt/orders/recipients/1995.htm 1995 National Orders Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022015347/http://www.info.gov.za/aboutgovt/orders/recipients/1995.htm |date=22 October 2012 }}{{Cite web|url=http://journals.co.za/docserver/fulltext/indisa/12/4/1143.pdf?expires=1488119184&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=13CFF7E4204CE4968ACB603CDDA0762A|title=Info.gov.za}}

• Without the King, 2007 documentary film featuring Mswati III and his daughter Princess Sikhanyiso.

{{Reflist}}

• Ginidza, Zodwa R. (1986). [https://books.google.com/books?id=m2dmAAAACAAJ&q=mswati+iii Umntfwana!: A Pictorial Biography of the New King of Swaziland.] Swaziland: Macmillan Swaziland National Pub. Co. {{ISBN|978-0-333-40303-7}} [http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/16874145 OCLC 16874145]
• Levin, Richard and Hugh MacMillan. (2003). [https://books.google.com/books?id=jj4J-AXGDaQC&q=mswati+iii "Swaziland: Recent History,"] in [https://books.google.com/books?id=jj4J-AXGDaQC&q=mswati+iii Africa South of the Sahara 2004.] London: Routledge. {{ISBN|978-1-85743-183-4}}
• Simelane, Hamilton Sipho. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ftz_gtO-pngC&dq=mswati+iii&pg=PA1521 "Swaziland: Reign of Mswati III," pp. 1528]-1530, in [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ftz_gtO-pngC&q=mswati+iii Encyclopedia of African History,] Kevin Shillington, ed. London: CRC Press. {{ISBN|978-1-57958-245-6}}

{{commons category}}

{{wikiquote}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20200811213649/http://www.thekingofswaziland.com/ Archived copy of "the Official Website of Swaziland Monarchy"]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20031207071506/http://www.swazi.com/king/king.html Swazi King's Birthday features]
• [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/states/southafrica/swaziland.html Swazi Royal Family Tree]
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1692217.stm BBC News: Troubled King Mswati]
• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/go/homepage/int/news/-/mediaselector/check/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi?redirect=fs.stm&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&news=1&nol_storyid=5325886 Swaziland king picks wife – BBC Video]
• [https://www.un.org/ga/63/generaldebate/swaziland.shtml King Mswati III's address to the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly], 25 September 2008
• [https://movies.nytimes.com/2008/04/25/movies/25king.html An Extravagant Ruler of a Modest Kingdom – New York Times Movie review]
• [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/world/africa/06king.html In Destitute Kingdom, Ruler Lives Like a King]
• {{IMDb name|id=2602220|name=His Majesty King Mswati III}}
• {{IMDb title|id=0997233|title=Without the king}}

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{{Swazi Monarchs}}

{{Current sovereigns}}

{{Portalbar|Africa|Biography|Politics}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mswati 03 Of Swaziland}}

Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:Swazi Christians

Category:Swazi monarchs

Category:20th-century politicians

Category:21st-century politicians

Category:20th-century monarchs in Africa

Category:21st-century monarchs in Africa

Category:People from Manzini

Mswati III

Category:Polygamy in Africa

Category:Recipients of the Order of Good Hope