King of Swaziland Changes the Name of his Country to eSwatini. The South African country Swaziland now officially has ‘The Kingdom eSwatini,’ that is how King Mswati III decided.
The monarch announced the change of name during festivities for the 50th anniversary of the independence of Swaziland and his 50th birthday in Manzini, the second largest city in the country, reports iStorify.
“With their independence, all African countries have reverted to their former name, that of the colonization,” the king explained. “Swaziland was the only country that retained its name from the colonial era. From now on it will be called the kingdom eSwatini ‘.
ESwatini in Swati means the ‘land of the Swazis.’ The name Swaziland is a mixture of Swati and English. Swaziland, which lies between South Africa and Mozambique, is a former British protectorate that became independent in 1968.
King Mswati III has been in government since 1986. He is best known for his many wives, 15 in the meantime. His father Sobhuza II had 125, according to biographers, during his 82-year reign.