There were many local media
reports of chaos and confusion as Swaziland / Eswatini voters turned out to
nominate candidates in the forthcoming
House of Assembly election.
Nominations took place at chiefdoms across the kingdom
on 28 and 29 July 2018. During the time-consuming
process the
name of the nominee was raised by a show of hands and the nominee given an
opportunity to indicate whether he or she accepted the nomination.
There were delays in
different parts of the Shiselweni region. Some people decided not to wait and
left before the process was finished.
The Swazi Observer reported (30 July 2018) said there were many
complaints. It said, ‘Some of these complaints included the decision by the
overseers of the process to close the nomination when voters still wanted to
raise names of the people they were interested to nominate.
‘Several complaints came
from places like Mbangweni where some residents said they were denied
opportunities of raising names of the people they felt had the credentials to
represent them.’
It added, ‘In some areas,
other residents claimed that the officials were seemingly biased and also
others looking like they were having interests, especially on whose side they
were in and who they wanted to see eventually winning.
‘At Mbangweni Umphakatsi,
residents said they found themselves denied the right of nominating people of
their choice but were informed that time was running out.’
Elsewhere, there was
confusion at the Ngwane Park High School polling station as many voters and
aspiring candidates were turned back on Saturday and told to return next day.
The Sunday Observer reported (29 July
2018) people started arriving at the station as early as 8 a.m. Some people
complained they would not be able to go to nominations on the Sunday because
they would be at church.
Dozens of voters from
Mbadlane under Dvokodvweni Constituency were ‘stunned’ to learn that they had
been registered to nominate at Entandweni chiefdom as opposed to their home
chiefdom, Malindza, the Sunday Observer
reported (29 July 2018). The EBC blamed a computer error and rectified the
mistake.
The Times Sunday (29 July 2018) reported a ‘verbal showdown’ between
human rights activist and newspaper columnist Musa Hlophe and EBC officials at
KaLanga. He accused them of bias and complained he had not been called to make
a nomination when he raised his hand. He also said that women and people with
disabilities were being ignored and not allowed to nominate candidates.
Armed police were on hand at KaGwegwe where Swaziland Senate President Gelane
Zwane is acting chief. There had been sporadic fights in the area in the past
during disputes about Zwane’s position. The Sunday
Observer (29 July 2018) reported there was a protest during registration on
Saturday, ‘The angry youth were said to have assembled at the KaGodloza Royal
Kraal before marching to Gelane’s KaGwegwe Royal Kraal. The youth, apart from
singing political songs and chanting slogans denouncing the acting chief, were
also carrying placards with messages relating to the decades long chieftaincy
dispute in the area.’
The Sunday Observer also reported, ‘There were minor clashes at Kwaluseni where a
resident was allegedly stabbed after a confrontation.’
Ahead of the nominations it was reported nearly 500
names were removed from the voters’ roll at Ngudzeni
when it was discovered they were people who did not live in the area. The
Observer on Saturday reported (21
July 2018) that non-residents
had been brought in by aspiring candidates from as far afield as Luhlokohla in
Hhelehhele and kaPhunga near Lavundlamanti. It added usually there were about
900 voters but this number had been inflated by 498 strangers.
In Swaziland political
parties are banned from taking part in the national election and people are
required to nominate individuals to represent them in the House of Assembly.
King Mswati III rules the kingdom as one of the world’s last absolute monarchs.
He chooses the Prime Minister and government. No members of the Swazi Senate
are elected by the people.
See also
Swaziland
Police Force Worshippers From Churches to Attend Election Nominations
Doubts
Over Validity of Swaziland Election
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/07/doubt-over-validity-of-swaziland.html
New Study Shows Why Swaziland Elections Are Not Democratic
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/07/new-study-shows-why-swaziland-elections.html
New Study Shows Why Swaziland Elections Are Not Democratic
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