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Swaziland Page |
Welcome to ElectionInfo.com's pages on Swaziland
Official Name: Kingdom of Swaziland
Capital: Mbabane
Area: 17,360 square kilometres (6,703 square miles)
Major cities (Population): Mbabane 47,000 (1990 estimate)
Population: 855,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate: 2.8 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Type of government: Monarchy
Independence: 6 September 1968 (from the United Kingdom)
Constitution: None; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended on 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978
Voting Rights: None
Government
National executive power in Swaziland is vested in a king, who appoints and is assisted by a prime minister and a Council of Ministers. The bicameral parliament consists of a National Assembly with 65 members, 55 of whom are indirectly elected and 10 who are appointed by the king, and a 30-member Senate, 20 of whom are appointed by the king and 10 who are elected by the National Assembly. The monarchy is considered to be shared between the king and the queen mother, who is of symbolic importance to the government. Judicial authority is vested in a High Court, a Court of Appeal, and subordinate courts. There are also traditional courts for ethnic Swazis only. A chief justice presides over the judiciary.
Recent History
Somhlolo Celebration in Lobamba
Swaziland achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 6 September 1968, and King Sobhuza II, who had reigned since 1921, became the official head of the new state. In 1973, Sobhuza II suspended the existing constitution, which had been designed mainly by the British, and a new constitution was promulgated in 1978. The new constitution restored more complete and traditional power to the king, yet made a few concessions to modern government practices. With the replacement of the constitution, Sobhuza II emphasized again that maintaining traditional Swazi culture was his main priority, and should be the priority of the people.
When the king died in 1982, his heir, Prince Makhosetive, was too young to ascend the throne. The queen mother, Dzeliwe, became head of state, but was ousted in a bitter power struggle within the royal family. The struggle was resolved when Makhosetive, still under age, was installed as King Mswati III in 1986. King Mswati III reigns today, seeking, as his predecessor did, to preserve the heritage and autonomy of the Swazi people.
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