About 500 people representing church groups in Swaziland, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, staged a protest on Thursday against a new draft Constitution that they said gives King Mswati III too much power.
The protesters, led by Catholic and Anglican bishops, marched to the offices of the prime minister in the capital, Mbabane, to deliver a petition opposing the proposed new basic law currently before Parliament.
”Not aligning ourselves with any political party, the Council of Swaziland Churches, which is bound by the gospel of speaking courageously about issues of justice that affect people’s welfare, feels that there is need to engage government peacefully in issues of governance, in particular the Constitution-making process,” said the petition.
”The constitutional Bill is not a product of a consensus, but that of a few people imposing their views on the whole nation.”
The protesters, who had received police permission for the march, sang hymns and many wore religious dress.
Mswati (37), known for his lavish lifestyle in a country where about 65% of the 1,2-million citizens live on less than $1 a day, has ruled Swaziland by decree since his coronation in 1986 at the age of 18.
In 1996, he ordered that a new Constitution be drafted to address calls for political reform, but nine years later no new fundamental law has been adopted.
A draft Constitution was released in 2003, but it still gives the king power to dissolve Parliament and maintains a ban on the political opposition.
In presenting the petition, Catholic Bishop Ncamiso Ndlovu said ”the principle of separation of powers is severely compromised as wide-ranging powers are vested in King Mswati”.
He said a constituent assembly should be set up to discuss a new fundamental charter. — Sapa-AFP