The last king of Eswatini? Reporting on protests in Africa’s last absolute monarchy

Cebelihle Mbuyisa is a freelance journalist who was beaten for covering pro-democracy protests in the kingdom of Eswatini. Formerly known as Swaziland, the country has been rocked in recent weeks by anti-monarchy protests calling for King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch, to have his powers diluted.  Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► Protests turned violent, with reports suggesting there have been more than 50 deaths and countless casualties so far at the hands of state security forces. The Guardian spoke to Mbuyisa, who described his experience of being beaten by the police after they accused him of reporting illegally, and explained why protesters are calling for more democracy in Eswatini. In his first comments since the unrest began, the king called the protests ’satanic’ and said they had taken the country backwards. The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► Web