The results of the long-awaited legislative elections in the Kingdom of Eswatini are long overdue. Voters expressed their choice on Friday September 29, 2023 and since then, the country has been suspended from announcing the results. Polling stations closed at 7 p.m. and counting began immediately.
These elections were particularly important because voters had to choose their deputies for the 59 seats at stake. This election had the particularity of being without partisan label, political parties having been banned for several decades in the country. The candidates authorized to stand were selected locally at the level of their constituencies by traditional leaders. However, only a few candidates, a minority, defended a pro-democracy agenda.
The Kingdom of Eswatini is an absolute monarchy where King Mswati III has reigned with all powers concentrated for almost 40 years. Parliament only has an advisory role and can neither legislate nor propose a head of government. This situation has given rise to criticism and demands from movements opposed to the regime, which have registered as associations or NGOs. Most of them called for a boycott of these elections, considered a charade.
It should be noted that protest movements have multiplied in recent years in the Kingdom of Eswatini, with growing demands for democracy. In 2021, the violent repression of demonstrations by the police and the army caused the deaths of around forty people. In a country where nearly two-thirds of the population lives in precarious conditions, inequalities are blatant, while King Mswati III has a personal fortune estimated at more than $50 million according to Forbes.
While expectations are high regarding the results of these legislative elections, the people of Eswatini hope for significant changes and a real consideration of their democratic aspirations. It remains to be seen whether these elections will mark a turning point in the country’s history or whether they will remain just another step in the consolidation of the power of King Mswati III. The future of Eswatini is in limbo, awaiting the official proclamation of the election results.