The chairman of Swaziland’s Elections and Boundaries
Commission, Chief Gija Dlamini has spoken out strongly against political
parties contesting this year’s national election.
Chief Gina is reported by local media saying ‘the owners of the country’ had
clearly stated that parties could not contest the election.
He was reacting to news that former Secretary General of
the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions Jan Sithole, who is now a
leading figure in Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA) had come to an
understanding with Sive Siyinqaba, a conservative political party, not to contest
the same parliamentary seat.
In Swaziland, since King Sobhuza II’s Royal Proclamation
of 12 April 1973, political parties have been excluded from standing at
elections. Instead, people are only permitted to stand as individuals and they
do this through local area councils known as tinkhundla.
Chief Gija told the Times of Swaziland both Sive Siyinqaba and SWADEPA were not allowed to strategize
for the election.
‘The owners of the country have clearly stated that
people will stand for elections in their individual capacities and not through
political parties,’ the newspaper reported him saying.
Chief Gija dismissed the relevance of Sive Siyinqaba. ‘I can just call them clubs formed by people
who are like minded. I do not foresee them having any influence, whatsoever, in
the outcome of the elections,’ he said.
A number of organisations inside and outside of Swaziland
have called for a boycott of the election because parties are banned. The
parliament that will be elected will have no real powers, as the kingdom is
ruled by King Mswati III who is sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
See also
EU TELLS KING, ‘FREE PARTIES’
CALL TO BOYCOTT ELECTION GROWS
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