Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te complained that China’s “authoritarian regime” stopped him from joining the celebration to mark 40 years of rule by Africa’s last absolute monarchy that has banned all political parties.

Pro-democracy activists in Swaziland have accused the state of targeting leaders with fabricated charges in an effort to silence dissent.

Propping up Africa’s last absolute monarchy in the southern African country of Swaziland, Taiwan, in turn, exploits cheap Swazi labor, especially women laboring in the textile sector in which Taiwanese capital is heavily invested.

Swaziland is the only African country to recognize Taiwan, which helps perpetuate the continent’s last absolute monarchy, enriching the royal family and arming its repression, while grabbing Swazi land and exploiting its cheap labor.

King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch, is accused of accepting USD 500 million from the Trump administration to accept deported criminals in Swaziland.

King Mswati III, the last absolute monarch in Africa who survived an insurrection by using the army against the pro-democracy movement, has further weakened his position by caving to the US pressure to accept its deportees.

“The monarchy is trying to hunt us all down—our comrades are being followed, abducted and tortured. None of us are safe as long as this regime exists,” said Simphiwe Dlamini, international secretary of the Communist Party of Swaziland, regarding the rule of King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch

21-year-old Mvuselelo Mkhabela, a Central Committee member of the banned Communist Party of Swaziland, who had continued organizing anti-monarchist resistance underground after escaping police custody with a bullet wound, was arrested in April and tortured again

The Communist Party of Swaziland is continuing to organize actions protesting the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country. Swaziland is the last remaining monarchy in Africa, and the people of the country have been facing brutal repression for resisting the king’s rule.

Speaking to Peoples Dispatch from his hideout, the 21-year-old narrated how he escaped from the police and made it to safety with the help of his comrades, following hours of torture, after being shot by the King’s police while leading a pro-democracy protest

Mvuselelo was reportedly shot and dragged into a police van. His current whereabouts are unknown. Mvuselelo was tortured earlier this month for protesting elections

In Swaziland, only individuals approved by the local chiefs of King Mswati III can contest elections, and the parliament cannot hold the monarchy accountable. Pro-democracy activists have been calling for a boycott of the elections which are scheduled for August