SWAZILAND: NEW RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORMS

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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English/Nat Swaziland - one of Africa's poorest and most backward countries is hesitantly entering the modern era. At a so-called "meeting of the nation"Swazi King Mswati III has announced reforms to launch the tiny kingdom on the road to democracy. At the gathering at his royal residence north of Mbabane, Mswati announced the establishment of a constitutional committee to oversee the changes. The 27-member constitutional committee announced by Mswati represents a broad spectrum of Swazi society, including representatives of banned political movements, trade unions, churches, civic and women's organisations and traditional chiefs. The panel is to investigate possible reforms in the country's constitution. Twenty-three years ago, Mswati's father King Sobhuza II suspended the constitution and banned all political parties. Swaziland is now the only southern African country in which political parties are banned, and has for a year been rocked by a series of pro-democracy strikes and protest actions. Mswati has now asked Swazis to submit recommendations for a new constitution and the future political dispensation in Swaziland to the constitutional commission. SOUNDBITE: in Swazi) "Let's sit down and discuss and show each other what the constitution of the country should look like. We should all show that we are united because the success of the constitution means that success of the Swazi nation." SUPERCAPTION: King Mswati III of Swaziland) The king's speech draw a mixed reaction from those present. Some felt it was a step in the right direction, while others said the pace of change was still too slow. SOUNDBITE: in English) "Well I am delighted with the speech because we were all hoping that it will be a fully representative commission to draw up a constitution. And I am very confident that everyone is satisfied and that is what he has done." SUPERCAPTION: John Doble/British High Commissioner in Swaziland) Members of a political alliance formed by the leaders of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions and banned opposition parties this week threatened to boycott Mswati's constitutional reform exercise. They said the ban on opposition parties should be lifted before the exercise was implemented. (SOUNDBITE: in English) "I am not very impressed about what has happened here. I am sure the struggle must continue so that the people of Swaziland can enjoy multi-party democracy which is wanted by all the citizens of the country." SUPERCAPTION: Wilson Mdluli/ Trade Union leader) Some Swazis like the present system, which brought a degree of stability rare in southern Africa in the 1970s and 1980s. But others are demanding to join a regional surge of democracy capped by Mandela's election in 1994. Working through trade unions to press their demands, pro-democracy activists staged an eight-day general strike in January. One demonstrator was killed as Mswati called out his army, and the King later claimed strike organisers had planned to topple him. (SOUNDBITE: in English) "Everybody wants change but what the King and the people are saying is that we want to be given a chance to bring change about at our pace. Change that will benefit everybody, not a section of the society of a minority in Swaziland." SUPERCAPTION: Steven Hewlitt/Swazi businessman) South African President Nelson Mandela, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, Botswana President Ketumile Masire, Mozambican President Joachim Chissano and Swazi acting prime minister Sishayi Nxumalo met in Maputo last week to discuss the political situation in Swaziland. Both Mandela and Mugabe said after the meeting they were convinced Mswati was serious about constitutional change: (SOUNDBITE: in English) You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/596c54ad84e0f6120f5cce8cdc52f3f2 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork