Swaziland stumbles in much-awaited bid to reform

JOHANNESBURG – Swaziland is set to adopt a new constitution next month after three decades of monarchist rule but critics say the charter will only strengthen King Mswati III’s hold on power in the poor southern African kingdom.

The 36-year-old king, a polygamist who is known as the ‘Ngwenyama’ (lion) and whose portrait hangs in shops and offices in the Swazi capital Mbabane, has ruled by decree since his coronation in 1986 at the age of 18. Under pressure from international donors and local opposition politicians to reform, King Mswati ordered that a new constitution be drafted in 1996 for the mountain kingdom, wedged between South Africa and Mozambique.Grappling with the world’s highest HIV-AIDS prevalence rate at 38 per cent and back-breaking poverty, Swaziland is looking to tap into international aid with a new fundamental law that addresses calls for political reform.But pro-democracy activists say their hopes for change evaporated with the release last year of a draft constitution that still gives the king power to dissolve parliament and maintains a ban on the political opposition.Under the draft charter, the king retains the authority of chief of police, defence and correctional services, giving him the ultimate say over the fate of many of his Swazi subjects.”The whole thing is just legitimising the dictatorial manner in which we are currently ruled,” says Sipho Nkosi, the secretary of the Law Society of Swaziland, which opposes the proposed charter.The constitutional committee that drafted the document is chaired by King Mswati’s brother, Prince David, who is also justice minister, and the other members are his brothers-in-law, uncles and family friends.”The constitution-making process is seriously flawed primarily because the drafting committee has no mandate from the people of Swaziland.If you are not connected to the royal house, you are not part of this thing,” Nkosi said.”The whole process is a smokescreen just to appease the Europeans and the Americans and everybody else,” he added.The king last week told the UN envoy for humanitarian needs, James Morris, that the draft constitution would be finished end July to be presented to parliament for a vote.Morris highlighted the kingdom’s dire need for food aid after four years of consecutive drought, exacerbated by HIV and AIDS.King Mswati and his 11 wives, however, live in luxury and his extravagance contrasts strongly with the days when his father, the popular King Sobhuza II, ruled the country.By all accounts, Sobhuza lived modestly although he suspended the constitution and banned political parties in 1973 after the opposition won enough seats to challenge his rule.King Sobhuza led the country to independence from the British in 1968, and died at the age of 82 in 1982 with no fewer than 70 wives.Swaziland was ruled by Queen Regent Dzeliwe Shongwe until Mswati was old enough to accede to the throne.An expert on Swaziland at South Africa’s Institute for Security Studies, Chris Maroleng says the new law is likely to bring little change.”Although the draft constitution will be called the ultimate law of the land, the king remains above the law and is not subject to parliament.He can still dissolve parliament at any time, and he appoints 20 of the 30-member Senate,” the upper house of parliament.”The draft removes the king’s ability to rule by decree, but he doesn’t need that if he has such strong control over parliament,” Maroleng told AFP.While the constitutional committee is holding public hearings on its proposed documents, group submissions are not allowed, which means trade unions and banned opposition parties cannot voice their opinion, a restriction they are currently challenging in court.”If we had the authority we would have sat down with them but our terms of reference do not allow that,” said the secretary of the constitutional committee James Dlamini.Pro-democracy activists meanwhile are growing impatient.”The time for liberation cannot be postponed any further,” Mario Masuku, leader of the banned People’s United Democratic Movement said at a youth conference in June.”We need to act now to save Swaziland from degenerating into the extreme levels of political savagery into which the royal supremists are leading it.”- Nampa-AFPUnder pressure from international donors and local opposition politicians to reform, King Mswati ordered that a new constitution be drafted in 1996 for the mountain kingdom, wedged between South Africa and Mozambique.Grappling with the world’s highest HIV-AIDS prevalence rate at 38 per cent and back-breaking poverty, Swaziland is looking to tap into international aid with a new fundamental law that addresses calls for political reform.But pro-democracy activists say their hopes for change evaporated with the release last year of a draft constitution that still gives the king power to dissolve parliament and maintains a ban on the political opposition.Under the draft charter, the king retains the authority of chief of police, defence and correctional services, giving him the ultimate say over the fate of many of his Swazi subjects.”The whole thing is just legitimising the dictatorial manner in which we are currently ruled,” says Sipho Nkosi, the secretary of the Law Society of Swaziland, which opposes the proposed charter.The constitutional committee that drafted the document is chaired by King Mswati’s brother, Prince David, who is also justice minister, and the other members are his brothers-in-law, uncles and family friends.”The constitution-making process is seriously flawed primarily because the drafting committee has no mandate from the people of Swaziland.If you are not connected to the royal house, you are not part of this thing,” Nkosi said.”The whole process is a smokescreen just to appease the Europeans and the Americans and everybody else,” he added.The king last week told the UN envoy for humanitarian needs, James Morris, that the draft constitution would be finished end July to be presented to parliament for a vote.Morris highlighted the kingdom’s dire need for food aid after four years of consecutive drought, exacerbated by HIV and AIDS.King Mswati and his 11 wives, however, live in luxury and his extravagance contrasts strongly with the days when his father, the popular King Sobhuza II, ruled the country.By all accounts, Sobhuza lived modestly although he suspended the constitution and banned political parties in 1973 after the opposition won enough seats to challenge his rule.King Sobhuza led the country to independence from the British in 1968, and died at the age of 82 in 1982 with no fewer than 70 wives.Swaziland was ruled by Queen Regent Dzeliwe Shongwe until Mswati was old enough to accede to the throne.An expert on Swaziland at South Africa’s Institute for Security Studies, Chris Maroleng says the new law is likely to bring little change.”Although the draft constitution will be called the ultimate law of the land, the king remains above the law and is not subject to parliament.He can still dissolve parliament at any time, and he appoints 20 of the 30-member Senate,” the upper house of parliament.”The draft removes the king’s ability to rule by decree, but he doesn’t need that if he has such strong control over parliament,” Maroleng told AFP.While the constitutional committee is holding public hearings on its proposed documents, group submissions are not allowed, which means trade unions and banned opposition parties cannot voice their opinion, a restriction they are currently challenging in court.”If we had the authority we would have sat down with them but our terms of reference do not allow that,” said the secretary of the constitutional committee James Dlamini.Pro-democracy activists meanwhile are growing impatient.”The time for liberation cannot be postponed any further,” Mario Masuku, leader of the banned People’s United Democratic Movement said at a youth conference in June.”We need to act now to save Swaziland from degenerating into the extreme levels of political savagery into which the royal supremists are leading it.”- Nampa-AFP