Police in Swaziland /
Eswatini forced worshippers out of churches to attend election nominations
because numbers were small.
It happened at about 10
churches around Mathendele in Nhlangano on Sunday (29 July 2018), the Times
of Swaziland reported.
It reported police ‘barged’
into churches ‘to “encourage” worshippers to suspend their business of worship
over politics’.
It added, ‘This was
reportedly after it was realised that the attendance at the polling station
wasn’t impressive, way after the scheduled time for the nomination process was
set to begin. Worshippers from several churches (close to 10) had to abruptly
slash the length of their services after police officers arrived to convince
them that the nomination process was also an essential part of their lives.
Witnesses said it was shortly after 10 a.m. when the officers embarked on the
church door-to-door visitations.’
The
Times reported, ‘Several interviewed worshippers said the police
officers invaded their church while a service was ongoing and accused those
gathered there of not taking important national assignments seriously.’
It added, ‘Sources revealed
that in some of the visited churches, the officers were given a tough time by
church leaders, who demanded written proof that worshipping was “banned” on the
day.’
It is not reported if
police elsewhere in Swaziland also invaded churches.
Nominations
for forthcoming elections
took place on Saturday and Sunday. Swaziland is ruled by King Mswati III who is
sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch. Political parties are banned from
taking part in the election for House of Assembly. No members of the Senate are
elected by the people. Under Swaziland’s political system called tinkhundla
or monarchical democracy the King chooses the Prime Minister and
government members.
Followers of the King say
that the people in Swaziland support the political system but there is no
independent evidence for this.
The Election and Boundaries
Commission (EBC) that runs the election reported
more than 90 percent of the 600,000 people it said were eligible to
vote had registered.
In a separate
report monthly magazine the Nation said (July 2018) that people had been forced into
registering to vote at the election. It said the huge turnout was ‘attributed to
persistent rumours that those who did not register for the elections would be
denied services in government institution.’
It added, ‘The large
turnout of the youth is an indication of scrambling for government
scholarships. The rumours have hit home.’
The Nation
reported, ‘There was also voter apathy during the municipality
elections [in 2017] such that there are
councillors who boasted of only five votes taking them into office.’
See also
Doubts
Over Validity of Swaziland Election
New
Study Shows Why Swaziland Elections Are Not Democratic
‘Vote
Rigging’ as Registration Tops 90 percent
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