The ‘legitimacy and
credibility’ of the recent national election in Swaziland / Eswatini was
‘significantly hampered’ because political parties are banned in the kingdom
ruled by absolute monarch King Mswati III, according to a United
Nations group.
The King has ‘excessive powers’ in the appointment of the
Government, Parliament and the judiciary, the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC)
said in a report just published.
It follows a visit to
Swaziland on 6 to 8 November 2018 to review a number of human rights issues
outlined in the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights (ICCPR).
The HRC reported,
‘According to the Constitution
of Eswatini (Swaziland), the system of Government is based on the Tinkhundla,
in which individual merit is a basis for election and appointment into public
office. In practice, this translates in a system where the King has excessive
powers appointment over the Government, Parliament and the judiciary, incompatible
with article 25 of the ICCPR.’
Elections
for the House of Assembly took place on 21 September 2018. Political
parties were banned from taking part. The people were only allowed to elect 59
members of the House, a further 10 were appointed by the King. None of the 30
members of the Swazi Senate were elected by the people; 10 were elected by the
House of assembly and 20 appointed by the King.
Following the election the
King appointed a Prime Minister and Cabinet in
contravention of the Swaziland Constitution. He also appointed six
members of his Royal Family
to the House of Assembly and eight
to the Senate.
In its report the Human
Rights Committee said, ‘The legitimacy and credibility of the elections was
significantly hampered by the design of the electoral mechanisms as a
culture of political pluralism is lacking. There is no freedom of
genuine and pluralistic political debate, political parties are unable to
register, contest elections, field candidates or otherwise participate in the
formation of a Government.
‘Political organisations
have tried to challenge the Government to allow at least individual candidates
to express their affiliation to political parties during the election
campaigning period in order to promote steps towards political plurality. On 20
July 2018, the High Court of Eswatini dismissed an application
brought by SWADEPA for an interim order allowing individual
candidates to express their affiliation to political parties during the
election campaign period.’
Swaziland ratified the ICCPR in 2004 and its initial
report on progress was due by 2005, but by 2017 it had failed to report.
After such a long delay the HRC reviewed of the kingdom in the absence of
report. The November visit was an attempt to review progress since then.
See also
Swaziland quizzed on terror law
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2017/06/swaziland-quizzed-on-terror-law.html
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