Swaziland (Eswatini) Election 2018: Links to Information and Analysis From Swazi Media Commentary

On Friday 21 September 2018 the final round of elections (known as the Secondary Election) takes place in Swaziland (recently renamed Eswatini by its absolute monarch King Mswati III).

Political parties are not allowed to stand, only 59 members of the House of Assembly are elected by the people; the King appoints another 10. No members of the 30-strong Swazi Senate are elected by the people.

The King chooses the Prime Minister and Cabinet as well as all senior judges and civil servants.

The election is drawn out over several months, starting with a period of voter registration followed by nominations which take place in public at chiefdoms. There follows a first round of voting (the Primary Election) where each chiefdom within a constituency chooses its candidate to go forward to a final (secondary) election where one member of the House of Assembly is elected.

Swazi Media Commentary has published information and commentary on every step of the process. Below is an index of the posts freely available. Click on a title.

Updates 30 September 2018

Government Group Calls For Investigation Into Violence During Swaziland Election 

People Offer Bribes to Members of Swaziland’s House of Assembly For Seat on Kingdom’s Senate

 

Updates 25 September 2018

Swaziland Election Observer Groups Say Vote Was ‘Peaceful’ But Fall Short Of ‘Free And Fair’

Updates 23 September 2018

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

 

Updates 19 September 2018

 

Swazis Want Democracy Not Just Elections - New Independent Research Report

 

Election Observer Group From African Union to Examine Level of Political Rights in Swaziland

 

Swaziland Set for Days of Strikes and Protests in Run-up to National Election

  

  

Updates 17 September 2018

Swaziland Heading For Lowest Election Turnout as Ordinary People Support Democratic Change

Swaziland Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal to Unban Political Parties at Elections Without Hearing the Case

 

Overviews

Organised Certainty, Why elections in Swaziland are not democratic

 

Swaziland Must Embrace Political Parties to Get on Track After Years of Failure

 

Low Turnout At Swaziland Election Fuels Doubts About Support For King’s Absolute Monarchy 

 

Swaziland People Not Allowed To Elect Government 

 

Swaziland: Elections Without Democracy 

 

People Not Electing Their Government 

 

Chorus Against Swazi Election Grows 

 

Election Will Entrench King’s Power 

 

Shun The Bogus Swaziland Election

 

 

Parties Still Banned From Election

 

Court Fight to Un-Ban Parties 

 

Court Bid to Allow Parties in Election

 

Court Confirms Political Parties Cannot Compete in Swaziland’s Election 

 

U.S. Ambassador Encourages Parties 

 

 

 

Fear of Ritual Killings Grows 

 

‘Ritual Killings Linked to Election’ 

 

Ritual Murders Rise at Election Time

 

 

Swazi King’s Chiefs Above Elected MPs

 

 

Doubts Election Board is Competent 

 

 

Secondary election

 

Early Election Campaigning Illegal 

 

Women Election Candidates in Swaziland Forced to Address Voters on Their Knees to Show Respect For Men 

Swaziland Senior Election Officer Calls For Arrest Of ‘Prominent People’ Who Are Rigging Kingdom’s Vote 

 

Swaziland Election Officer Reveals MPs Sell Their Votes When Electing Kingdom’s Senators 

 

 

Primary election

 

All Public Events Banned in Swaziland on Day of Primary Election

 

Swaziland’s Independent Observation Group Says Election ‘Free And Fair’ But Identifies Many Shortcomings 

 

Independent Election Observers in Swaziland Barred From Some Polling Stations, Told to Sign Secrecy Forms 

 

Chaos and Violence Reported Across Swaziland as Voters go to the Polls 

 

Vote-Rigging Claims During Swaziland’s Election Grow. Calls For Some Polls To Be Re-Run 

 

Polling Station Riot and Fresh Accusations of Vote-Rigging Reported at Swaziland Election 

 

Fears Grow of Vote-Rigging and Malpractice in Swaziland Election. Ballot Boxes Not Properly Sealed

 

First Round of Swaziland Election Marred by Inefficiency and Fear of Vote-Rigging 

 

Bribed Swaziland Voters Photograph Their Completed Ballot Papers 

 

Voter Bribery Rife in Swaziland in Run-up to First Round of National Election 

 

Swaziland Police Block Protest March Against Election Vote-Rigging 

 

 

Nominations

 

Expect Chaos and Rule-breaking at Nominations for Swaziland’s Election, if Last Time is a Guide 

 

Doubt Over Validity of Swaziland Election (no voters’ roll) 

 

Police to Vet All Election Candidates 

 

Civil Servants Election Restriction (if they owe employer money)

 

Observer Group Says Swaziland Election Nomination Successful, Despite Some Shortcomings 

 

Media Report Chaos and Confusion During Nominations For Swaziland Election 

 

Swaziland Police Force Worshippers From Churches to Attend Election Nominations 

 

 

Registration

 

Election Board Awaits King’s Command 

 

Confusion Over Swazi Voter Numbers 

 

Election Board Targets Fewer Voters 

 

Registration Opens For Swazi Election 

 

Poor Start to Voter Registration 

 

Swazi King Extends Voter Registration 

 

‘Vote Rigging’ as Registration Tops 90% 

 

Reports of Swaziland Election Abuse 

 

Police Probe Election ‘Corruption’ 

 

Unhappy Residents Boycott Election

 

Election Votes Sold For Chicken Pieces 

 

Media Target Swazi Police Shortages (at registration centres) 

 

Tax Debtors Barred From Standing in Election 

 

Swaziland Election in Confusion as Nominees Who Did Not Pay Tax Drop Out 

 

 

Run-up to the election

 

Youth Election Workshop Banned 

 

Youth Want Democracy in Swaziland 

 

 

Confusion over Status of Widows as Swaziland Prepares for National Election 

 

Widows Can Stand in Swazi Election

 

Widows Still Can’t Stand in Election 

 

Women ‘Scared’ to Contest Election

 

 

 

King Says Vote Only For Christians 

 

 

Swaziland Election Bribery is Illegal

 

 

PUDEMO Will Not Fight Swazi Election