EBC Spokesperson Sabelo Dlamini confirmed to local media that there were a number of complaints that the commission was receiving.
He told the Swazi Observer newspaper that from the day after nominations, a number of people
had been flocking to their offices to lodge complaints, which the commission
was addressing.
One of the latest complaints came from youths at
Msunduza, East Mbabane, who delivered a petition complaining that EBC officers
had closed polling station gates at 16:50pm, even though the voting process had
started late.
In a separate case, the Moneni Royal Kraal wrote to the EBC
to request the primary election in the chiefdom be held again because some
candidates allegedly bribed textile workers to vote for them. They also clam
that candidates were illegally campaigning ahead of the election on Saturday (24
August 2013).
According to the Times of Swaziland newspaper, ‘They alleged that concerns were raised with the
presiding officers and to the police officers who were at the polling station
on Saturday during the Primary Elections. It is alleged that they were told
that there was nothing wrong.
‘“It became obvious to the residents that the presiding
officer was not neutral on issues raised by the nominees. The concerns were
also raised even before the start of the counting process to the presiding
officer,” the letter alleged.’
The EBC has been under fire for its poor organisation of
the election. Members of the EBC were appointed by King Mswati III and have
been criticised for being too close to the monarchy.
The Swazi Observer,
a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati, accused the EBC of committing
treason in their poor handling of the election.
See also
KING’S PAPER CRIES TREASON
MORE IRREGULARITIES AT SWAZI ELECTION
SWAZI PRIMARY ELECTION SHAMBLES
CORRUPTION
CLAIMS AT SWAZI POLL
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