NEW P.M. – ‘CONSTITUTION IGNORED’

In Swaziland today we are waiting for King Mswati III to tell us who the kingdom’s next Prime Minister will be.

In Swaziland’s ‘unique’ democracy it is up to the King to choose who will be head of his government. Ordinary people in the kingdom don’t get a choice in the matter.

There has been speculation in Swaziland since the national elections last month (September 2008) over who will be the next Prime Minister. Some want the outgoing PM Themba Dlamini to return to power. Others opted for former prime ministers or even a senior military official.

I don’t know who the King is going to announce, but one thing is certain: whoever it is will be a Dlamini.

Former MP and Cabinet minister Mfomfo Nkhambule reminded us of this in the Times of Swaziland today (16 October 2008).

There has been a groundswell of opinion against the ‘tradition’ that only a man from the ruling Dlamini family can be PM.

In February 2008 the Times Sunday newspaper called for a debate on changing this tradition. The Times Sunday said that the appointment of a Dlamini as PM ‘comes after intense lobbying by traditionalists and those who are close to the Swazi power circles. Unfortunately such a selection is limited to individuals – deserving or not – whose surname is Dlamini’.

The paper went on to say, ‘However, it would appear we have run out of people (Dlamini candidates) who are capable of steering the next government, if any of the names put forth so far is anything to go by’.

Nkhambule said much the same thing today. He says that ‘no one that was part of the country’s past cabinet deserves to be given the position because they are not going to bring about any change.’ He said the kingdom needed someone who had been to parliament and knew the system of governance as well as the problems of the kingdom’s citizens.

In the past King Mswati has chosen prime ministers who had not been elected to Parliament. This time however it should be different.

The new Swaziland Constitution says that the monarch should appoint the Prime Minister from among members of the House of Assembly acting upon recommendation of the King’s Advisory Council (It’s Section 67 (i) if you want to look it up).

So far, the speculation about who will be the next Swazi PM has all centred on people who do not qualify under the terms of the constitution.

Also, of course, the constitution doesn’t say the King is required to appoint a Dlamini.

Of course, in a real democracy it would not be the monarch’s choice. Members of Parliament themselves would elect a Prime Minister from among their number. The man or woman who could command support of the House would be Prime Minister until such a time as the House decided by a vote to remove him or her, or the Prime Minister decided to stand down.

I doubt that the constitution will be followed today. The ‘traditionalists’ who really rule Swaziland will not be willing to give up without a fight their influence of having the King select one of their own as Prime Minister.

See also

SWAZI ELECTION AND THE NEW P.M.