2008 Swazi general election

A parliamentary election was held in Swaziland for the House of Assembly on 19 September 2008.[1] It was the first election under the new constitution introduced in 2006, and the first time that foreign observers were allowed to monitor an election in the country.[2] It was observed by an Expert Team established by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at the request of the Elections and Boundaries Commission of Swaziland.[3]

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On the day before the election, several union officials were arrested for attempting to block the border with South Africa at Oshoek for a pro-democracy protest.[4]

Political parties remained banned in Swaziland, so all candidates for the 55 seats were independents.[2] Following the election, King Mswati III was to appoint 10 more MPs. The National Assembly would then elect 10 members for the Senate, with the King appointing 20 more.[2]

References
  1. Swaziland sets parliamentary poll for Sept. 19, Xinhua (People's Daily Online), 31 July 2008
  2. Swazis vote in controversial poll, BBC News, 19 September 2008
  3. "Swaziland National Elections, 19 September 2008" (PDF). London: Commonwealth Secretariat. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
  4. Police hold Swazi poll protesters BBC News, 18 September 2008


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