By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Lenin Ndebele,the editor of the News24 Africa Desk says, King Mswati and/or the institution of the Monarchy might not survive the ongoing political pressure to democratize, for the next two(2) years. 

Eswatini is ruled by Mswati as an absolute Monarch, political parties are banned from participating in elections while human rights defenders are arrested, tortured and even killed for demanding democracy.

Speaking to this Swaziland News on Saturday evening, the News24 Africa Desk editor who recently published an article about the future of the Monarchy, quoting an Afrobarometer report said, currently, the regime was surviving by shooting and killing protestors but, he clarified that as per the Afrobarometer report, he does not see royalty surviving through the barrel of a gun for the next two(2) years. 

“Well, according to the report, the majority  are of the view that the country is heading to a wrong direction. So from the Mass opinion of the 80% interviewed by Afrobarometer, they are really concerned about the economy, corruption and the long standing cry for democracy and basic provisions that a normal society should have like strong institutions,a working police force. But since elections are coming-up, the economy is one of the major issues that people are really concerned about. But, post elections they don’t see the economy getting better from the Afrobarometer survey, only thirteen percent(13%) think the economy will turn for the better after the elections going forward. It’s quite a sad situation where you have the majority without medical aid because they can’t afford it and, you have about sixty-six percent(66%) saying they are going without food, facing starvation. Then, you have about fifty-five percent(55%) who don’t have clean running water”, said the News24 Africa Desk editor.

The journalist said, it was even hard to predict that the Monarchy might survive for the next five(5) years as under the current situation, anything might happen in the next two(2) years. He said, the Monarchy has been around for many years but failed to improve the lives of the people.

“I see it going for the next two(2) years, I don’t know about five(5) years, it will depend on the pressure coming from the pro-democracy groups and the regional support”, he said.

Reached for comments, King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane said, the News24 Africa Desk editor “joins other dreamers” who have been predicting the downfall of King.

“Lenin Ndebele is neither a God of predictions nor a God of politics.He joins other dreamers who have been predicting  the downfall of our King Mswati III since the Arab Spring more than 10 years ago. According to those dreamers the King was to fall soon after former Zimbabwean President, Robert Gabriel Mugabe.He has not.Onother dreamer predicted that the King was  going to die on a Christmas day that is long gone.We surely have no reasons to entertain dreamers but idealists who substantiate their school of thought with facts as opposed to opinions”, he said.

The Spokesperson added that, the King was not under any political pressure.

“We are not under any pressure.We believe the King is matured and experienced enough not to worry about a fall from power that has been a recitation for dreamers for over ten years.He is not losing any sleep over slender campaigns. As the old adage would put it; a lion does not lose any sleep over decisions made against it by goats and rabbits”, said the King’s Spokesperson.