eSwatini goes to ‘sham’ elections to elect a new crop of MPs for the 2023-2028 term

The government of eSwatini Kingdom has declared Friday a holiday to allow its citizens to participate in the elections to elect a new crop of MPs for the 2023-2028 term of office.

The elections are held across the country’s constituencies to also elect heads of constituencies (Tindvuna Tetinkhundla) and members of the councils for the constituencies (Bucopho).

The elections have been boycotted by banned progressive movements like Pudemo and the Communist Party of Swaziland.

They have repeatedly labelled them as a “sham”, as the real power still lies with King Mswati III who has managed to thwart a revolution through violence and tightened his grip on all levers of power.

This is while other parties like Swalimo are participating, with the hope of changing the oppressive Tinkhundla system from within.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has sent a team of observers to monitor the secondary (the final round after nominations and primary elections in royal kraals) elections.

Alpheous Nxumalo, spokesperson of the government of the kingdom, dismissed as “nonsense” claims that the elections are held under a climate of fear that the so-called International Solidarity Forces may storm voting stations and disrupt voting.

The forces were allegedly behind a spate of killing of police officers and others perceived to be sell-outs during the failed revolution in 2021 and 2022.

“Not one single Liswati (Swazi) who is duly registered for the elections is in fear of shadows of unknown skeletons,” Nxumalo told IOL on Friday when he was asked about the reported security threat.

After the elections, King Mswati, who enjoys supreme authority, will then pick some of them (through his proxy prime minister) as ministers.

Despite having been elected by the people, the MPs do not wield much power, as the monarch appoints the prime minister, who only comes from the Dlamini clan, the ruling family.

Equally, through his appointees in the House of Senate and some in the House of Assembly, the king always ensures that he has the majority in parliament.

sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za

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