Swaziland
is the only country in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) where
political parties are banned.
In
Swaziland, where King Mswati III rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute
monarch, political parties are banned by the kingdom’s constituion from taking
part in elections. The King chooses the government and top judges.
Parties and other oganisations that advocate for
democracy are banned in the kingdom under the Suppression of Terrorism Act.
The Botswana National
Front (BNF) has pledged solidarity with banned political organisations in
Swaziland. It said the banning of political was the same as total suppression
of freedom of association.
Swaziland also has a
number of people in jail for peacefully opposing the present undemocratic
system.
In May 2015, the European
Parliament called for all political
prisoners in Swaziland to be freed. The Swazi Government denies there are any
political prisoners in the kingdom, saying that the only people in jail are
those who have broken the kingdom’s laws.
Duma Boko, BNF president,
who is also the leader of coalition of opposition parties in Botswana, said, ‘We
stand with the people of Swaziland in their quest for democracy, in their quest
for justice and human rights.
‘We stand with them solidly and we pledge our support to them. We call on the Swazi government to open the democratic space and enable political parties to contend in different view-points, to participate in the political market space of ideas.’
‘We stand with them solidly and we pledge our support to them. We call on the Swazi government to open the democratic space and enable political parties to contend in different view-points, to participate in the political market space of ideas.’
See also
FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS: EURO MPS
http://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/free-political-prisoners-euro-mps.html
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