The law banning candidates from campaigning in the forthcoming
primary election is being broken across Swaziland.
And, police are trying to clamp down on public
gatherings, social parties and food distributions.
A meeting aimed at sensitising people to the need to
elect more women to parliament was abandoned after a warning from the Swazi
Elections and Boundaries Commission.
Candidates for the primary election to be held on 24
August 2013 were chosen nearly two weeks ago, but they are forbidden by law
from campaigning for votes.
Allegedly illegal activities reported over the past few
days include the distribution of water, clothes and food at a church gathering
at Nhlambeni.
Elsewhere, residents from Ngwemphisi reported former MPVeli Shongwe for allegedly campaigning in a community meeting. He is alleged to
have promised residents that he would give them free electricity and build boreholes
and a massive water tank that would service the area and neighbouring
communities.
Police were called at Nhlambeni when a South African organisation donated 100 bags of rice to residents. The donation was suspected by some residents to be a campaign strategy by former Nhlambeni MP Frans Dlamini.
Police were called at Nhlambeni when a South African organisation donated 100 bags of rice to residents. The donation was suspected by some residents to be a campaign strategy by former Nhlambeni MP Frans Dlamini.
In a separate incident, police stopped a party for Health
Minister Benedict Xaba to campaign for election as MP for Shiselweni II
Inkhundla. The function at Edwaleni High School had attracted about 2,000
residents who were to enjoy performances by award winning gospel group
Ncandweni Christ Ambassadors. Rival candidates complained to police that Xaba was about
to launch his election campaign.
A ‘vote for a woman’ campaign that was to be held at
Ntondozi had to be cancelled amid fears that those participating in it could be
arrested. The meeting was to mobilise women from Ntondozi to vote for those women
who had entered the elections race so that they would have a female member of parliament. It was called off on the advice of the Elections and
Boundaries Commission because it infringed election law.
The rash of cases has highlighted an absurdity in the
Swaziland elections. Candidates are not allowed to discuss issues with the
electorate and cannot be questioned on what they might do if elected to
parliament. Campaigning only begins after the primary election is over and before
the secondary election on 20 September.
The candidates were nominated at Imiphakatsi (chiefdoms) where they were chosen to compete against one
another in ‘primary’ elections. The winners become their chiefdom’s candidate
in the ‘secondary’ elections on 20 September, where they compete against each
other at the Inkhundla (constituency)
level to be elected to the House of Assembly.
The elections are widely seen inside and outside
Swaziland as irrelevant. Political parties are banned from taking part and the
parliament that is elected has no power as this rests with King Mswati III, who
rules Swaziland as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
The secondary elections are for 55 members of the 65-seat
House of Assembly. The other 10 members are appointed by the king. None of the
30-strong Swaziland Senate is elected by the people: the king appoints 20
members and the other 10 are elected the House of Assembly.
See also
CANDIDATES SAY ELECTION ‘SABOTAGED’
SWAZI LAW BANS ELECTION CAMPAIGNING
ELECTION NOMINATIONS CREDIBILITY DAMAGED
SWAZI ELECTION ‘WILL BE A FRAUD’
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