6 September 2011
Anti-govt protests swell in Swaziland
Manzini - More than 1,000 people marched today (6 September 2011) through Swaziland's main city Manzini in one of the largest protests yet against Africa's last absolute monarch, King Mswati III.
Scores of riot police stood by as the protesters marched to the city centre, in the biggest demonstration since April 12, when about 1,000 teachers and students were dispersed with batons, teargas and water cannons.
Anti-riot vehicles lined the protest route, and two security checkpoints were set up along the highway between the Manzini and the capital Mbabane, where about 500 people staged a similar protest yesterday.
"Release our political prisoners, democracy now," read one placard waved by the crowd wearing red, the colour of workers and closely associated with Swaziland's banned opposition People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).
Political parties have been banned since 1973 in Swaziland and Mswati holds ultimate executive, legislative and judicial power.
For more of this report from AFP, click here.
See also
COSATU SEES ‘OCCUPIED’ STREETS
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/09/cosatu-sees-occupied-streets.html
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