A Crisis Mounts in Africa's Only Absolute Monarchy, Eswatini (Formerly Known As Swaziland)

Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters

Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) is a small country in Southern Africa nestled on the border between South Africa and Mozambique. It is notably Africa's only absolute monarchy -- the king rules by decree, with no meaningful checks or balances.

Today, the country in in the midst of its most intense and significant protests against that monarch in recent history. The protests began in May and accelerated in June. The monarchy's response was violent, with many protesters killed and disappeared.

Journalist Mako Muzenda explains these unprecedented protests and the broader significance of the ongoing crisis in Eswatini.