6. King Mswati III of Swaziland
King Mswati III is the last true and full monarch in Africa. Make no mistake, there are plenty of dictators and strong men, but most of them go by the moniker “president” or something similar. There are also plenty of chiefs and minor kings across Africa, but none of them are absolute kings like King Mswati III, who rules over Swaziland.
Having ascended to the throne at the young age of 18, King Mswati III rules his kingdom like the dictator-kings of past centuries. Speaking out against the king isn’t just a no-no, it’s a actually considered an act of terror. Political parties have been banned since 1973. In fact, that year a state of emergency was declared. Now, decades later, that same state of emergency is still in effect.
The King’s primary challenger is the People’s United Democratic Movement. The group is pushing for democracy, elections, human rights, and other things. For their hard work, the group has been classified as a terrorist organization. Members of the group have died unexpectedly and unexplainably, and leaders have been jailed on questionable charges.
Support for opposition groups, however, has been slowly growing. With the unemployment rate estimated to run as high as 40%, and with HIV having spread to roughly 1 in 4 adults, Swaziland faces numerous challenges. This combination of social and economic problems has pushed Swaziland to the brink of collapse, but so far King Mswati III has managed to hold onto power.
The King’s power is exerted through the long-standing Tikhundla tribal system, with traditional chiefs enjoying a lot of power. By keeping these chiefs invested, King Mswati can continue to enjoy a relatively strong and stable rule. The United States and other countries, however, have begun to push for sanctions and are trying to pressure the government into reform, but so far Swaziland has largely ignored the international community.