Lawmakers in Swaziland, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, have adopted a new Constitution that maintains a ban on political parties and preserves King Mswati III’s sweeping powers. Mswati (37) ascended to the throne of the mountainous nation at the age of 18, maintaining a ban on political parties that was imposed in 1978.
Africa’s last absolute monarch, Swaziland’s King Mswati III, has fired the elected speaker of Parliament after failing to remove him by exerting pressure. The sacked speaker, Marwick Khumalo, told Parliament that ”as of yesterday, I was called to the royal residence, where I was informed (by) the head of state that I should resign from my position as speaker of the House of Assembly”.
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/ 15 November 2003
Africa’s last absolute monarch, King Mswati III of Swaziland, on Friday named a new prime minister for the small African nation, but failed to adopt a controversial draft constitution. The prime minister’s appointment follows parliamentary elections last month, which had been boycotted by pro-democracy groups.