GOVERNMENT
On July 26, 2005 King Mswati III ratified Swaziland’s constitution. It went into effect February 8, 2006. This is Swaziland’s first constitution in over 30 years.
According to Swazi law and custom, the monarch holds supreme executive, legislative, and judicial powers. In general practice, however, the monarch's power is delegated through a dualistic system: modern, statutory bodies, like the cabinet; and less formal traditional government structures. The king must approve legislation passed by parliament before it becomes law. The prime minister, who is head of government, and the cabinet, which is recommended by the prime minister and approved by the king, exercise executive authority. At present, parliament consists of a 65-seat House of Assembly (55 members are elected through popular vote; 10 are appointed by the king) and 30-seat Senate (10 members are appointed by the House of Assembly, and 20 are appointed by the king). House of Assembly elections were last on September 19, 2008. While King Mswati announced that Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini would serve as his new Prime Minister on October 16, cabinet was officially dissolved immediately before the elections and all other ministers have yet to be named.
For local administration Swaziland is divided into four regions, each with an administrator appointed by the king. Parallel to the government structure is the traditional system consisting of the king and his advisers, traditional courts, 55 tinkhundla (subregional districts in which traditional chiefs are grouped), and approximately 360 chiefdoms.
Swaziland
is a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), with
which the U.S. began negotiating a free trade agreement in May
2003. The other members of SACU are Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho,
and South Africa.
Principal
Government Officials
Head of State--King Mswati III
Head of Government--Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini
Ambassador to the United States--Ephraim Hlophe
Permanent Representative to the UN--Phesheya Dlamini
Central Bank Governor--Martin Dlamini
Swaziland
maintains an embassy in the United States at 1712 New Hampshire
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009 (tel: 202-234-5002; fax: 202-234-8254).
Swaziland's UN Mission is at 408 East 50th Street, New York, NY
10022 (tel: 212-371-8910; fax: 212-754-2755).
Type: Monarchy.
Independence: September 6, 1968.
Constitution: On July 26, 2005, King Mswati III ratified Swaziland’s constitution. This is Swaziland’s first constitution in over 30 years. It went into effect February 8, 2006.
Branches: Executive--monarch (head of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet (appointed by the king at the recommendation of the prime minister). Legislative--Parliament consisting of the House of Assembly (65 members: 55 elected, 10 appointed by the king) and Senate (30 members: 10 appointed by the House of Assembly, 20 appointed by the king). Judicial--a dual court system of traditional courts under chiefs and a Roman-Dutch system comprising magistrates courts, High Court, Supreme Court (formerly Court of Appeals).
Administrative subdivisions: 4 regions, 9 municipal governments, and 55 tinkhundla centers (traditional administrative units).
Political parties: None registered, though the new Constitution does not forbid parties.
Suffrage: Universal after 18.
