The Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini says Swaziland is a democratic country where all citizens above the age of 18 regardless of status, creed or gender can stand for election and be voted into Parliament.

 He decries the bad press that the Kingdom continues to receive saying it might be based on simple ignorance and sidelining of facts.

 The Hon. Prime Minister’s intervention follows recent reports from the South African Press to the effect that only people nominated by the Monarch can stand for elections.

He insisted that such comments are without fact especially since the King and Traditional leaders are not involved in the election of citizens into parliament through a transparent election process.

He was speaking when meeting the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa Rev. Z.D. Siwa at the Cabinet Offices in Mbabane. Dr. Dlamini urged the visiting delegation of the Methodist Church to move around the country and ascertain facts about the Kingdom from ordinary Swazi citizens.

For more information about elections in Swaziland click here.