Madagascar’s neighbors have suspended it from their regional club, and say they will take further steps if democracy is not restored.
Southern African nations have declared they will not recognise Madagascar’s new leader, an army-backed politician who ousted an elected president.
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/ 20 February 2009
About 42% of pregnant women in Swaziland are infected with the HI virus, a jump of 3% since last year, according to a report released on Friday.
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/ 1 December 2005
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Events marking World Aids Day were cancelled by royal decree on Thursday in Africa’s last absolute monarchy because they clashed with a traditional ceremony scheduled for the same day. The announcement shocked activists in a country where more than 38% of the one-million population are infected with HIV, the virus that causes Aids.
A drinking and dancing celebration by the king’s daughter shocked a Swazi traditionalist enough for him to deliver a spanking to the teenage princess, and cast a pall over Swaziland’s annual royal bride-choosing rites. Royal officials had tried to keep word of Princess Sikhanyiso’s party quiet, but acknowledged it late on Monday.
On Monday, thousands of Swazi girls removed tasselled scarves symbolising their chastity, abandoning an ancient rite revived to combat the modern scourge of Aids. King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch, in 2001 reinstated for five years the umchwasho rite, banning sexual relations for girls younger than 18.
King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch, refused to sign the country’s new Constitution and ordered Parliament on Tuesday to hold a joint session to reconsider sections on religion and taxing his family. The draft Constitution, adopted by Parliament last month, is the product of eight years of consultations.
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/ 13 December 2004
Opposition leaders on Monday slammed King Mswati III for spending millions of lilangeni on a luxury car at a time of food shortages in his impoverished Southern African country. Africa’s last absolute monarch spent more than four million lilangeni (about R3,96-million) on a state-of-the-art DaimlerChrysler Maybach 62 last week.
Swaziland’s king has defended a custom enabling him to take as many brides as he likes and said a woman who asked the courts to prevent him from marrying her daughter had been badly advised.
In a move that appeared to end an embarrassing episode for Swaziland’s royal family, King Mswati III has become engaged to a woman whose mother is suing to prevent the pair from marrying, royal sources said on Monday.