Why did demonstrations and strikes occur in Eswatini during the 1990s and 2000s?

During the 1990s and 2000s, demonstrations and strikes occurred in Eswatini primarily as a response to the autocratic rule of King Mswati III. Critics characterized his reign as being rife with corruption and excess, fueling widespread public frustration.1

The primary driver for these protests was the slow pace of progress toward democratic reform within the country. Citizens and activists sought to challenge the traditional system of government, which concentrated all effective power in the royal capital and limited political participation.1

Although the King attempted to address these concerns by initiating a new constitution in 2001, the resulting document was widely criticized for failing to implement meaningful democratic change. The 2003 draft was rejected for banning opposition political parties and maintaining the King's absolute governing authority. Even the revised version, which took effect in 2006, remained controversial because it failed to formally acknowledge or legalize political parties, leaving the underlying political tensions unresolved.1