Swazi king bows to pressure

King Mswati: Criticised as increasingly autocratic

The Swazi monarch, King Mswati III has repealed a decree which many said gave him too much power.

I am now informing the nation that his majesty has accepted their concerns

Swazi Prime Minister

There was widespread condemnation last month of a controversial royal decree under which the monarch gave himself the power to ban any book, magazine or newspaper.

A statement on the king's change of heart, issued by Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini said the king had listened to the concerns of the employers, trade unions, the general public and the diplomatic community.

Mr Dlamini said: "I am now informing the nation that his majesty has accepted their concerns".

Ridiculing the king

The decree had also prohibited anyone from impersonating or ridiculing the king and had prevented legal challenges to any of the monarch's executive decisions.

However, the prime minister has not clarified exactly which laws will go or stay or when the repeal will take effect.

He said: "I cannot single out any section of the decree that has been removed or will be retained. People will see for themselves."

A BBC correspondent in the capital Mbabane say that revoking the decree is not all it might seem to be. He says the king has retained the clause which exempts ministers from been challenged in court for their actions.

Subversion

It is however understood the clauses on chieftaincy dispute, subversion, sedition and impersonating the king would go. Leaving the decision to the courts rather than to the king's edict.

The Swazi media last week published a letter from the United States Government to the Swazi authorities criticising the decree.

It said that if it were not revoked the country would not benefit from the African Trade Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa).

Agoa provides African countries with preferential treatment to US trade, markets and technical assistance.

King Mswati has ruled as an absolute monarch since 1986. His father, King Sobhuza II, banned political parties and scrapped the constitution in 1973.

Last year Swaziland was affected by a series of strikes led by the Federation of Trade Unions in protest at the political situation in the country.