King Mswati III of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is a highly controversial king in the world. His way of life, authority, and administration usually collide drastically with contemporary democratic values.

The Last Unconditional King of Africa.
Mswati III has been enjoying almost absolute power over the government, courts, and military of Eswatini, and therefore, he is the last absolute monarch on the African continent.

Crowned as a Teenager
At an unusually young age (18 years old), he assumed the throne in 1986 after finishing a military course in the UK, an exceptionally young age to grant him such far-reaching power.

Dozens of Wives
A tradition attributed to the Swazi culture is the fact that the king has married numerous women throughout the years. Every marriage is said to be equipped with homes and security funded by the state.

Wasteful Living in the face of poverty.
Although the majority of the Esawatini citizens are below the poverty line, the royal family has luxury cars, their jets, and palaces.

Prohibition of Political Parties.
Political parties have been outlawed successfully over the decades to restrict mobilized opposition and political participation by the population.

Protest Crackdowns
International criticism and human rights issues have followed pro-democracy protests over the last few years, which have been dealt with by force.

Renamed the Country
In 2018, he renamed the country unilaterally, renaming it Eswatini instead of Swaziland, because he said it was culturally proud and confused with Switzerland.

Controls Parliament
The king appoints most members of the parliament directly or indirectly, thus they remain loyal to the monarch.

Cultural Authority
Although Mswati III has faced criticism, it is very much entrenched in Swazi traditional culture and is considered by its proponents a protector of nationhood.

Global Scrutiny
Eswatini is still under pressure to undergo democratic reform, with human rights groups, foreign governments, and activists keeping a check on its progress.

The reign of Mswati III is still an impressive manifestation of the clash between the ancient monarchy and the contemporary political needs in the 21st century.