The United States Ambassador
to Swaziland Lisa Peterson has spoken out in support of banned political parties
in the kingdom where King Mswati III rules as an absolute monarch.
Parties are not allowed to
contest for elections and people and groups that advocate for democratic reform
are prosecuted under the Suppression of Terrorism Act.
International organisations
such as the European Union and Commonwealth routinely declare that Swaziland’s
elections are not free and fair because parties are banned from taking part. After
the last election in 2013, the Commonwealth Observer Mission and African
Union separately called for a
review of the kingdom’s constitution to un-ban parties.
The King chooses the Prime
Minister and top government ministers.
Peterson spoke at a meeting of editors on Friday (23
February 2018). She said polling suggested that people in Swaziland did not
support political parties. She said, ‘For me that speaks to people not seeing
what a political party can do for them. You need to build understanding and
policy of advocacy at the grass root level so that you can get a number of
people thinking in a similar manner.’
She said political entities
that supported parties in Swaziland needed to work on the ground to change
people’s minds about the value of political parties. ‘Each party or grouping
needs to go about it in the way that works best,’ she said.
She added, ‘That plays a
part in getting every average Swazi to understand why a political parties might
be useful.’
Three political parties have already
announced their intention to seek a court ruling to un-ban parties ahead
of the election due some time in late 2018. They are the People’s United
Democratic Movement (PUDEMO); the Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA) and the
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC).
See also
SWAZILAND
POLITICAL PARTIES: THE FACTS
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/swaziland-political-parties-facts.html
PARTIES STILL BANNED FROM ELECTION
PARTIES STILL BANNED FROM ELECTION
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/parties-still-banned-from-election.html
ONE IN THREE WANT POLITICAL PARTIES
ONE IN THREE WANT POLITICAL PARTIES
SWAZIS WANT DEMOCRACY - SURVEY
EU TELLS KING: ‘FREE PARTIES’
UK CALLS FOR PARTIES TO BE UN-BANNED
NO PARTIES AT SWAZILAND ELECTION
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-parties-at-swaziland-election.html
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