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Elections in Swaziland
 
Political Profile
Political System: Traditional Monarchy
King: Mswati III [since 25 April 1986]
Prime Minister: Themba Dlamini [since 14 November 2003] The Prime Minister is appointed by the King.
Parliament [bicameral]
--Senate (30 Seats) 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the King; members serve 5-year terms.
--House of Assembly (65 Seats) 55 Members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms and 10 members are appointed by the King. Electoral System: First Past The Post.
Electoral Authority: Elections and Boundaries Commission
Political Situation since Independence
1968-1973 Emerging Democracy [Constitutional Monarchy]
1973-        Traditional Monarchy
     [1973-1978 Political Parties Banned; No elections held]
     [1978-1993 Political Parties Banned; Indirect elections held]
     [1993-        Political Parties Banned; Elections held through direct and indirect processes]
2012 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 7, Civil Liberties - 5, Status: Not Free
Next Scheduled National Assembly Election: 2013
Political Parties: INM - Imbokodvo National Movement, NNLC - Ngwane National Liberatory Congress, NNLC-Samketi - Ngwane National Liberatory Congress-Samketi, SDP - Swaziland Democratic Party, SPP - Swaziland Progressive Party, SUF - Swaziland United Front, USA - United Swaziland Association.
 
Election Results
 
 
Legislative
--Multiparty: 1964, 1967, 1972
--Non-Partisan: 1978, 1983, 1987, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008
Plebiscite: 1964
 
 
19 January 1964 Plebiscite*/**
Main Points: Retraction of the January 1964 constitution put into effect by the British colonial authorities.
Ballot Question: Do you are do you not agree with the petition submitted by the Ngwenyama [King] to the British Government?

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

124,380

Results Number of Votes % of Votes
"Yes" Votes [For retraction of the Constitution] 124,218 99.87%
"No" Votes [For the Constitution] 162 0.13%
*Since the petition submitted by King Sobhuza II to the British authorities was in opposition to the constitution and its measures, a vote of "Yes" (Ballot Symbol: Lion) was a vote in support of the King's position of retracting the constitution. A vote of "No" (Ballot Symbol: Reindeer) was a vote in favor of the constitution, in support of the British colonial government.
**The results of the referendum were not recognized by the British colonial authorities.  
 
23-25 June 1964 Legislative Council Election*

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party National Roll European Roll Number of Seats (24)
Number of Votes % of Votes Number of Seats (8)

Number of Seats (8)

Imbokodvo National Movement (INM) 79,683 85.5% 8 1 9
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) - 12.3% - - -
Swaziland Democratic Party (SDP) - 1.4% - - -
Swaziland Progressive Party (SPP) - 0.7% - - -
United Swaziland Association (USA) - - - 6 6
Unknown - - - 1 1
Tinkhundla seats** 8
*There were two rolls in the election, the "National Roll" for Africans and the "European Roll" for Whites.
**Indirectly elected seats chosen by acclamation.
 
19-20 April 1967 Legislative Council Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

240,941

Party Number of Votes % of Votes Number of Seats (24)
Imbokodvo National Movement (INM) 191,160 79.34% 24
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) 48,744 20.23% -
Swaziland United Front (SUF) 681 0.28% -
Swaziland Progressive Party (SPP) 356 0.15% -
 
16-17 May 1972 House of Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

210,819

Party Number of Votes % of Votes Number of Seats (24)
Imbokodvo National Movement (INM) 164,493 78.03% 21
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) 38,554 18.29% 3
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress-Samketi (NNLC-Samketi) 6,393 3.03% -
Swaziland United Front (SUF) 797 0.38% -
Swaziland Progressive Party (SPP) 582 0.28% -
 
Non-Partisan Elections
27 October 1978 House of Assembly Election (50 Seats; 40 indirectly elected & 10 appointed by the King)
29 October 1983 House of Assembly Election (50 Seats; 40 indirectly elected & 10 appointed by the King)
16 November 1987 House of Assembly Election (50 Seats; 40 indirectly elected & 10 appointed by the King)
26 September & 11 October 1993 House of Assembly Election (65 Seats; 55 indirectly elected & 10 appointed by the King)

Registered Voters

283,693

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

173,053 (61.0%)

16 & 24 October 1998 House of Assembly Election (65 Seats; 55 indirectly elected & 10 appointed by the King)

Registered Voters

198,445

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

119,845 (60.4%)

18 October 2003 House of Assembly Election (65 Seats; 55 indirectly elected & 10 appointed by the King)

Registered Voters

228,616

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

19 September 2008 House of Assembly Election (65 Seats; 55 indirectly elected & 10 appointed by the King)

Registered Voters

350,778

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)