Mswati III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mswati III |
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|---|---|
| Ngwenyama | |
Mswati III in 2024
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| King of Eswatini | |
| Reign | 25 April 1986 – present |
| Coronation | 25 April 1986 |
| Predecessor | Sobhuza II |
| Born | Makhosetive 19 April 1968 Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, Manzini, Protectorate of Swaziland |
| Spouse |
16 wives concurrently
Nomsah Matsebula (first)
Sindi Motsa (second) |
| Issue | 45 children |
| House | Dlamini |
| Father | Sobhuza II |
| Mother | Ntfombi Tfwala |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Signature |  |
Mswati III (born Makhosetive; 19 April 1968) is the Ngwenyama (King) of Eswatini and head of the Swazi royal family. He heads Africa’s last absolute monarchy, as he has veto power over all branches of government and is constitutionally immune from prosecution.
He was born in Manzini in the Protectorate of Swaziland to King Sobhuza II and one of his younger wives, Ntfombi Tfwala. He was crowned as Mswati III, Ingwenyama and King of Swaziland, on 25 April 1986 at the age of 18, thus becoming the youngest ruling monarch in the world at that time.
With unrestricted political power and able to rule by decree, Mswati III (together with his mother, Ntfombi Tfwala, now Queen Mother [Ndlovukati]) is the last remaining absolute monarch in Africa and one of the only 12 remaining absolute national or subnational monarchs in the world. Under the constitution, the king is the commander-in-chief of the defence force and commissioner-in-chief of police and correctional services and Mswati III exercises ultimate authority over all branches of the national government and effectively controls local governance through his influence over traditional chiefs.
Under his reign, political dissent and civic and labor activism are subject to harsh punishment under sedition and other laws. Political parties have been banned in Eswatini since 1973 when King Sobhuza II declared a state of emergency that has continued ever since. Pro-democracy protests from 2021 onwards have been violently dispersed and political activists have been arrested, subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, and their homes have been raided by security forces. The government exercises total control over the broadcast media, including the only privately owned TV channel, which belongs to the royal family. Almost all media outlets are controlled, directly or indirectly, by Mswati III.
Mswati III lives an opulent and lavish lifestyle which stands in sharp contrast to the lives of most Emaswazi people. In 2022, an estimated 32% of the population lived below the $2.15/day international poverty line (measured by price-purchasing parity (PPP) in 2017) while 55% of the population was under the lower-middle-income country poverty line of $3.65/day. Mswati III is known for his practice of polygamy (although at least two wives are appointed by the state) and currently has 16 wives. Formerly named Swaziland, in 2018 Mswati III renamed the country Eswatini (formally the Kingdom of Eswatini) by decree.
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Early life
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), and the only child of Ntfombi Tfwala, also known as Inkhosikati LaTfwala, one of Sobhuza's younger wives. He was born four months before Swaziland attained independence from the United Kingdom. When he and his mother were discharged from the hospital, they went to live at one of Sobhuza's residences, Etjeni, near the Masundwini royal residence. His birth name was Makhosetive (lit. "Kings of Nations", in reference to the heads of state who visited Eswatini that year for the independence celebrations), and his half-siblings included Mantfombi, a future queen of the South African Zulus.
As a young prince, Makhosetive attended Masundwini Primary School and later Lozitha Palace School. He sat for the Swaziland Primary Certificate examination in December 1982 at Phondo Royal Residence and received First Class with merit in Mathematics and English. He developed a great interest in the royal guard, becoming the first young cadet to join the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force (USDF).
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. For the next four years, two wives of Sobhuza II, Queen Dzeliwe Shongwe (1982–1983) and Queen Ntfombi Tfwala (1983–1986), served as regent while he continued his education in the United Kingdom, attending Sherborne School (International College), before he was called back to ascend to the throne.
Reign period
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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, The king and his mother, whose title is Indlovukati ("Great She-Elephant"), rule jointly.
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.
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.
..... This was last done under Sobhuza II in 1971. ..... As per custom, he was fined a cow by members of her regiment, which he duly paid.
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.
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 takes 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.
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.
Wives and succession
The king currently has 16 wives and 45 children. An Eswatini king's 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". According to tradition, he can marry his fiancées only after they have become pregnant, proving they can bear heirs. Until then, they are termed liphovela, or "concubines".
Country name change
On 19 April 2018, King Mswati III changed the name of the country from Swaziland to Eswatini to mark its 50th anniversary of independence. 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.
Honours
National
Eswatini: Grand Master of the Royal Order of King Sobhuza II (1986).- Eswatini: Grand Master of the Royal Order of the Great She-Elephant (2002).
- Eswatini: Grand Master of the Royal Order of the Crown (2002).
- Eswatini: Grand Master of the Royal Family Order of Mswati III (2002).
- Eswatini: Grand Master of the Military Order of Swaziland (2002).
- Eswatini: Grand Master of the Order of the Elephant (2018).
Foreign
United Kingdom: Knight of the Venerable Order of St John (11 November 1991).
South Africa: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope (August 1995).
See also
In Spanish: Mswati III de Suazilandia para niños
- Without the King, 2007 documentary film featuring Mswati III and his daughter Princess Sikhanyiso.
