Swaziland’s Commission on
Human Rights and Public Administration Integrity (CHRPAI) has called for an
investigation into the violence that occurred during the recent election.
CHRPAI Commissioner Sabelo
Masuku urged the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to investigate the
causes of violence and take necessary action.
He was delivering a report
on the conduct of the election. He said it was important to maintain peace and
order during such an important national event.
CHRPAI is a group that
comes under the kingdom’s Ministry
of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
There were numerous media
reports of violence at polling centres on election day (21 September 2018) in
Swaziland (recently
renamed Eswatini by absolute monarch King Mswati III). The APA news
agency reported outbursts of violence started as early
as noontime which intensified in the evening with the counting of votes.
APA reported, ‘In some
areas protesters who were not satisfied with certain procedures blocked
vehicles transporting ballot papers to counting stations, resulting to delays
in starting the counting process.
‘The bone of contention
varied from last-minute change of counting centres to suspicions of malpractice
by some candidates or their campaigning agents.’
APA reported at Manzini North, Manzini South, Sigwe
and Ekupheleni centres the police had to request for backup from the
Operational Services Support Unit (OSSU) after vehicles from the EBC were
forced to turn back to polling stations for safety after roads leading to
counting centres were blocked with stones and tree trunks by protesting crowds.
At Malindza in the Lubombo region, an intoxicated
member of the army drove over a male voter and further crashed onto two cars
that were parked within the polling station premises, APA reported.
Police
fired gunshots in the air and grenades and rubber bullets as voters at Sigwe protested against completed
ballot papers being taken away from a polling centre, the Observer on Saturday reported.
The Eswatini Elections
Support Network which operates under the auspices of the Coordinating Assembly
of NGOs (CANGO) in a report on the conduct of the election said the
election was ‘relatively peaceful’.
However, it added, ‘The environment outside the
polling station was peaceful except for Ndzingeni during counting and Hillside
polling stations where violence was experienced throughout the day and hence,
OSSU was called in to retain order.
‘In Hillside, police kept vigilance throughout the day
to maintain peace and order.
‘In Ndzingeni polling stations, voters were dispersed
using teargas during counting as voters threatened to enter the polling station
where counting was taking place.’
In Swaziland political
parties are banned from taking part in the election. People are only
allowed to elect 59 members of the House of Assembly; another 10 are appointed
by the King. None of the 30 members of the Swazi Senate are elected by the
people.
King Mswati chooses the Prime Minister and Cabinet
members. He also chooses top civil servants and judges.
See also
Violence,
corruption, vote-buying reported in Swaziland election. Journalists barred from
entering counting centres
Swaziland
Police Fire Gunshots, Set Off Grenades and Rubber Bullets as Voters Protest
During Election
Swaziland
(Eswatini) Election 2018: Links to Information and Analysis From Swazi Media
Commentary
Organised
Certainty, Why elections in Swaziland are not democratic
https://www.scribd.com/document/384752084/Organised-Certainty-Why-Elections-in-Swaziland-Are-Not-Democratic
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