Swaziland’s King Mswati III summoned his subjects to the country’s traditional capital for a national meeting on Tuesday, amid speculation he was to dissolve Parliament ahead of a national election.
Africa’s last absolute monarch, who keeps a strong traditional grip on the tiny landlocked kingdom, urged all citizens to attend the meeting on Wednesday which royal sources say will focus on the general elections scheduled before September.
”I have it in command from his majesty the king, that princes, princesses, chiefs, elders of the nation and every Swazi national or any interested person to come and grace this important national meeting to be held at the cattle byre on Wednesday, June 11 2008,” said Ludzidzini governor Jim Gama.
Gama said on national radio that participants should gather at the cattle byre at 7am GMT.
He said it was important that employers and schools should allow every citizen to take part in the national indaba — a traditional council at which important issues are discussed.
Royal sources said the king was going to dissolve Parliament to give way to the new government as set out in the Constitution. Parliamentary elections are held every five years after which the king appoints a new prime minister.
”It waits to be seen what will the king say because there are quite a number of issues playing out but one of the major things is the issue of the general elections coming later in the year,” the source said.
Opposition and civil society groups have been fighting for multiparty politics and the abolition of the monarchy, which they claim is dictatorial. Swaziland’s current king, Mswati III (40) succeeded his late father in April 1986.
The government said it would provide transport to ferry people from all corners of the landlocked kingdom.
A national indaba was last held in July 2006 when the country adopted a new Constitution. – AFP
