Eswatini, Africa’s Last Monarchy, Holds Legislative Election

Eswatini holds legislative elections on Friday that are unlikely to change the political scenery in the absolute monarchy. The vote, seen as a foregone conclusion, is boycotted by the opposition, who say that the elections serve the interests of the few and that the system must stay as it is.

While the opposition calls for a boycott, voters in the monarchy of just over a million will be called to vote for 59 members of the lower house of parliament, chosen by traditional chiefs and loyal to the king.

This is amidst growing dissatisfaction with the lavish lifestyle of the king while nearly a third of the population lives in poverty. However, criticism of the monarch is punished by imprisonment, which keeps many from speaking out.

These factors contribute to the possibility that the results will not change the political landscape, as the monarch retains absolute power.