Swaziland / eSwatini, which
is ruled by King Mswati III as an absolute monarch, has started a campaign to
encourage people internationally to support the kingdom’s undemocratic political
system.
In Swaziland the Constitution allows the King to dominate all political and public
life in the kingdom. Political parties are banned
from taking part in elections
and groups that advocate multi-party democracy are outlawed. Individuals who
speak out against the system are prosecuted
under terrorism and sedition laws.
The system of government in
Swaziland is known as ‘Tinkhundla’ or ‘monarchical
democracy’. It
puts all power in the hands of the monarchy. King Mswati chooses the Prime
Minister, cabinet ministers and many members of the House of Assembly and
Senate. He also appoints members of the judiciary and all senior political postholders
in his kingdom.
The King has demanded
Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development David Ngcamphalala set up
a task group to document the Tinkhundla ideology. According
to the Swazi Observer,
a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati, the task is to ‘correct misconceptions
that have been developed, especially at the international stage,’ about the
system of government in Swaziland. Ngcamphalala added he wanted to increase
investor confidence in the kingdom.
The newspaper said the
process of documenting the Tinkhundla system would include consultative
meetings ‘with specific but relevant stakeholders’.
The intention, the Observer reported, was that after the
review the ‘attitude would change internally and externally on how Emaswati
[the people of Swaziland] are governed’.
However, the chances are
the exercise is likely to only emphasise the lack of democracy in Swaziland. It
is no secret that King Mswati rules as an absolute monarch. His position is
enshrined in the Swaziland
Constitution that came into
effect in 2006.
Human rights violations in
Swaziland have been well documented. Recently, the United States Department of
State in its
annual review of the kingdom,
highlighted ‘human rights issues’
across a wide range of areas which included, ‘restrictions on
political participation, corruption, rape and violence against women linked in
part to government inaction, criminalization of same-sex sexual conduct,
although rarely enforced, and child labor’.
Amnesty
International in a review of Swaziland for 2017 / 2018 stated,
‘The Public Order Act and the Suppression of Terrorism Act severely limited the
rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.’
It added, The Public Order Act, ‘curtailed the rights
to freedom of assembly and association, imposing far-reaching restrictions on
organizers of public gatherings. The Act also failed to provide mechanisms to
hold law enforcement officials accountable for using excessive force against
protesters or public gatherings.’
See also
No
appetite by Swaziland to investigate human rights abuses, corruption: U.S.
report
Swaziland
in economic freefall with human rights failings, report shows
Swaziland
‘not free’ as King keeps grip on power, Freedom House reports
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