A chief’s headman in Swaziland threatened that people would
be banished from their homes if they nominated a widow for the forthcoming election.
It happened in Ludzibini, which is ruled by Chief
Magudvulela, who is a former Swazi Senator.
Dumisani Dlamini the Chiefdom Headman warned voters
against voting for Jennifer du Pont. This was during nominations for the primary
election that will be held in Swaziland later this month (August 2013).
The Times Sunday, an independent newspaper in Swaziland, reported Dlamini threatened voters and
warned that anyone who nominated du Pont would be evicted from the area.
The newspaper reported, ‘He warned that those who would
nominate her should be prepared to relocate to areas as distant as five
chiefdoms away. Her sin was that she attended the nominations only a few months
after her husband died.’
He said she should still be mourning her husband.
The newspaper reported du Pont did not wear standard
black mourning gowns and was dressed in a blue wrap-around dress known as
sidvwashi.
Enough people in the chiefdom defied Dlamini and Ms du Pont was duly nominated.
Elsewhere during the nomination held last weekend (3-4
August 2013), an 18-year-old woman was denied the chance to be nominated to
stand for parliament because she attended the nomination centre dressed in
jeans and a t-shirt.
In another case a woman was not allowed to nominate a
candidate because she was wearing cargo pants.
The nominations were for the ‘primary election’ in
Swaziland. This is where each chiefdom nominates candidates to represent it in
the main, or ‘secondary election’ that will be held in September.
The election in Swaziland is mired in controversy. All political parties are banned from taking
part and the House of Assembly that is elected has no power as this is invested
in King Mswati, who rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
See also
WOMAN IN PANTS BANNED FROM ELECTION
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