Arr matey! Eswatini, a land where kings still rule, be havin' fancy elections, but they be just fer show!
2023-09-29
Arrr, me hearties! Eswatini, a wee, landlocked land in the belly o' southern Africa, be holdin' parliamentary elections on a fine Friday. The elected scallywags be servin' as mere advisors to a king, who be keepin' his absolute power. Yo ho ho, what a jolly tale!
The small southern African nation of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, held elections to determine a part of its Parliament's composition. However, the country remains an absolute monarchy, with its extremely wealthy king, Mswati III, holding all the power. Political parties are banned, and elected representatives can only offer advice to the king, whose family has ruled for 55 years. Eswatini is the last absolute monarchy in Africa and one of the few remaining in the world.In Friday's election, candidates for the House of Assembly and the Senate, the lower and upper chambers respectively, cannot belong to political parties. Instead, they are nominated at a local level before facing a popular vote. While the king appoints a minority of House of Assembly members, he appoints a majority of the Senate, the prime minister, and other government members. With executive and legislative powers, Mswati III makes decisions by decree.
The push for democracy and political reforms has led to increased pro-democracy protests, but they have been met with a harsh crackdown from the king's security forces. Activists demanding reforms have called for the legalization of political parties and the election of the prime minister through democratic means. However, those who have spoken out against the king's rule have faced imprisonment, with two members of parliament being jailed for calling for democratic reforms.
Mswati III has been accused of living luxuriously while the people of Eswatini struggle with poverty, a high HIV infection rate, and low life expectancy. With an estimated wealth of $200 million, the king owns private jets, luxury cars, and has multiple wives. The World Bank estimates that more than half of Eswatini's population lives on less than $3.65 a day.