ESWATINI, formerly known as Swaziland, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew amid pro-democracy protests that have rocked the country for three consecutive days.
Activists have promised to intensify demonstrations demanding democratic reforms and the lifting of bans on all opposition parties in the country.
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 on Tuesday.
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.
Africa’s last absolute monarch
King Mswati III, Africa’s last remaining absolute monarch who has
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