Ackel Zwane, writing his weekly column for the Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati III the
absolute monarch in Swaziland, pointed to ‘rampant corruption’.
Zwane wrote on Friday (13
October 2017), the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) which runs the
election had disregarded the Swazi Constitution that requires it to set up
appropriate rules and monitor elections in Swaziland.
‘Since their commissioning
the EBC has done nothing but recite certain clauses about the voting
process instead of creating institutions that will protect citizens from all
forms of rigging and make elections truly meaningful and not just a scramble
for unearned positions of power.’
Zwane said there was
persistent infighting at the EBC and ‘the consequences are devastating’.
The elections are due to
take place on 28 October 2017.
On 4 October 2017, the
Swazi parliament was told there was confusion about whether the EBC or the
Ministry of Housing and Urban Development was running the election.
Zwane said voter
registration had been corrupted. ‘The first and most abhorring loophole is the
control and monitoring of the voters’ roll. In this case prospective candidates
drive scores of nonurban persons to the registration centres and the system
cannot detect whether those people indeed come from the various wards.
‘For instance in Ward 5 in
Manzini voters would be coming from Sicewlini, Makholweni, Nkhundleni,
Ticantfwini, Mphembekati, Mntfwanenkhosi, Mpholi, Magwaza, Mkhulamini,
Mbekelweni and Ludzeludze yet the ward is only to produce a candidate from
Murray Camps and Sikhunyana constituencies.
‘Show me any system to
verify in the voters’ roll if all those registered indeed come from the
designated wards.’
He added, ‘This tradition
also translates into the national election whereby people are taken from
wherever to register and vote for particular candidates that offer them goodies
at the end, if not outright vote purchasing.
‘These registered votes are
often rewarded with endless rounds of cold beers, roast chicken (chicken dust)
and tripe in exchange for the candidate to earn sitting allowances, attend
breakfast meetings and officiating in such auspicious events as distribution of
new litter collection bins for the duration of the political term.’
On 20 September 2017, the Swazi Observer reported the inspection
of the voters’ roll had been extended because of doubts that they were
accurate. It was claimed some people had been wrongly registered as voters in
some towns and cities.
In October there were
complaints that in most cases photographs of voters did not appear on rolls
alongside names as expected.
Zwane said voter education
was poor and candidates and voters alike did not understand what they were
expected to do and corruption was rife. He said many councillors did not live
in the areas they represented.
‘We are aware of rampant
corruption resulting from lack of policing municipality management systems,’ he
added.
‘This culture has resulted
in both rent and rates payers being marginalised and their interests neglected
as those voted into office have no interest of the urban dweller or of urban
life whatsoever. If any watchdog organisation could invest its energies in
finding out how much property councillors have on Swazi Nation Land as opposed
to urban property the results would be shocking.
‘Most of the councillors
have their homes in Lwandle, Ticantfwini, kashali, kaKhoza, Mpolonjeni,
Mvutjini, Mantjolo, Esitibeni, Nkoyoyo with only titimela for rent in
Ngwane Park, Skom or Msunduza, the urban area.’
See also
MEDIA FOR DEMOCRACY
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/media-for-democracy.html
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