Lobamba – King Mswati III has revealed that electricity access in Eswatini has surged from just five percent of homesteads in 2003 to approximately 88 percent today, one of the most striking development milestones he highlighted during his Ruby Jubilee address at Somhlolo National Stadium on Friday.
The King framed the expansion of electricity and clean water not as luxuries but as fundamental rights, vowing that the country would press on until every household is connected.
“No household should be left in the dark and no family should walk kilometres for unsafe water. These are not luxuries; they are basic needs.”
Speaking before thousands of emaSwati gathered to mark 40 years of his reign and his 58th birthday, the King credited the transformation to sustained collaboration between government, development partners and multilateral organisations.
He drew a direct line between electrification and broader social upliftment, noting that connecting a home means enabling small businesses to run refrigerators and sewing machines, allowing students to study under proper lighting, and helping health clinics store life-saving medicines.
Despite the progress, the King acknowledged that the work is not finished. He set a clear target: universal electricity access for every Liswati by 2030, with the same commitment extended to water access across the kingdom.
“Much work still lies ahead,” he said, recommitting the government to ensuring that no community is left behind in the country’s development drive.
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