The government of Eswatini is structured as an absolute monarchy, with King Mswati III holding executive, legislative, and military authority under the 2005 Constitution, supported by a Cabinet he appoints, a bicameral parliament called the Libandla whose bills he must sign to become law, and a dual court system that runs statutory and customary tracks side by side. Political parties have been banned from elections since 1973. The country, home to roughly 1.2 million people, was known as Swaziland until King Mswati III renamed it the Kingdom of Eswatini in 2018.
Where Power Actually Sits: The Dual Monarchy
The King, known as the Ngwenyama, is Head of State and traditional head of the Swazi nation. Section 4 of the Constitution also makes him Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force, Commissioner-in-Chief of the Police Service, and Commissioner-in-Chief of the Correctional Services. Section 64 vests executive authority directly in him: he assents to and signs bills, summons and dissolves parliament, receives foreign envoys, issues pardons, declares states of emergency, and orders referendums.1Eswatini Government. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland Act, 2005 – Section 64
The Queen Mother, the Ndlovukazi, is the second pillar of the monarchy. The Constitution designates her as the symbolic Grandmother of the Nation, and her official residence serves as the legislative and ceremonial capital. Section 229 assigns her a “moderating advisory role” over the King, and in certain circumstances she can act as Queen Regent, convening the Ligunqa (the broader royal advisory body) and appointing members of the Liqoqo (the inner advisory council).2Parliament of Eswatini. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland Act, 2005 – Section 229
How the Throne Passes
The kingship is hereditary within the Dlamini dynasty but does not follow simple primogeniture. When a monarch dies, the royal family’s inner council selects the next king from among the princes. Sons of the King’s first two wives are ineligible, and those first two wives are themselves chosen from specific clans by a special council. King Mswati III has reigned since 1986. The Constitution states that the King is chosen “by the traditional inner council of the royal family,” making that customary process a constitutional requirement.3Eswatini Government. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland Act, 2005 – Section 4
The Prime Minister and Cabinet
Executive authority formally belongs to the King, but the Constitution allows him to exercise it “either directly or through the Cabinet or a Minister.”1Eswatini Government. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland Act, 2005 – Section 64 Day-to-day governance runs through a Prime Minister whom the King appoints from the members of the House of Assembly, acting on the recommendations of the King’s Advisory Council. The Prime Minister then recommends Cabinet ministers, whom the King formally confirms.
Ministers handle individual portfolios such as finance, health, and education. They serve at the King’s pleasure and can be removed if the crown considers their performance inadequate. The Cabinet manages the national budget and coordinates public services, but significant decisions require the King’s approval.
The Libandla: Parliament
Eswatini’s parliament, the Libandla, has two chambers. Both debate and draft legislation, and neither can enact a law without the King’s consent.
House of Assembly
The House of Assembly has 69 members. Fifty-nine are directly elected through single-member constituencies, and the King appoints the remaining 10.4IPU Parline. Eswatini – House of Assembly Elected members serve five-year terms and appointees serve four-year terms.
Senate
The Senate has 30 members. The King appoints 20, and the House of Assembly elects the remaining 10. At least half of the elected senators and at least eight of the appointed senators must be women.5IPU Parline. Eswatini – Senate The Senate carries a particular responsibility for matters of Swazi law and custom. Any bill that would alter the status of the Ngwenyama or Ndlovukazi, the powers of chiefs, the administration of customary courts, communal Swazi nation land, or major cultural institutions such as the Incwala and Umhlanga ceremonies must originate in the Senate and go to the Council of Chiefs for review before proceeding.6Constitute. Eswatini 2005 Constitution – Section 115
Royal Assent
Nothing becomes law without the King’s signature. Under Section 108, once a bill passes both chambers it is presented to the King, who has 10 days to respond on budget bills and 21 days on all other legislation.7Parliament of Eswatini. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland Act, 2005 – Section 108 He may assent or withhold assent, and if he withholds it the legislative process stalls until parliament addresses his concerns.
How Elections Work: The Tinkhundla System
Elections run through the tinkhundla system, a network of 59 local administrative centers spread across the country.8Eswatini Government. Tinkhundla Administration Each tinkhundla corresponds to one of the 59 elected seats in the House of Assembly. Candidates run as individuals, not as party representatives. Voters first select candidates at the local chiefdom level in a primary round, then vote again in a general election to choose their tinkhundla’s representative. An elected committee within each tinkhundla oversees local resource allocation and development projects.
The Ban on Political Parties
Political parties have been banned in Eswatini since 1973, when King Sobhuza II issued a proclamation repealing the post-independence constitution and declaring that “all political parties and similar bodies that cultivate and bring about disturbances and ill-feelings within the Nation are hereby dissolved and prohibited.”9International Commission of Jurists. Proclamation by His Majesty King Sobhuza II, 12 April 1973 The same decree banned political meetings and demonstrations without prior police approval. The 2005 Constitution replaced much of the old legal framework, but parties remain effectively prohibited from participating in elections.
The main opposition group, the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), was declared a terrorist entity in 2008 under the Suppression of Terrorism Act. The High Court struck down one section of that act as unconstitutional in 2016, but the government amended the legislation and continues to use it to designate individuals and organizations as security threats. International human rights organizations consistently classify Eswatini’s civic space as closed, and the country is rated “not free” in global rankings.
The 2021 Protests
Tensions over the restrictions on political activity broke into open unrest in June 2021, when pro-democracy protests spread across the country. The Eswatini Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration reported that 46 people were killed and 245 sustained gunshot injuries. International investigations found that security forces fired live ammunition at protesters and bystanders. As of 2025, no member of the security forces had been held accountable for those deaths, and the government had not initiated any formal inquiry or truth-and-reconciliation process.
Two Court Systems in One Country
Eswatini runs a dual legal system. One track applies Roman-Dutch common law through statutory courts; the other applies Swazi customary law through a parallel network of traditional courts.10EIPA. Legal and Regulatory Framework Which track hears a case depends largely on whether the dispute concerns modern commercial or criminal law or a matter governed by tradition.
Statutory Courts
The statutory hierarchy runs from Magistrate Courts at the base up through the High Court and to the Supreme Court as the final court of appeal.11Judiciary of Eswatini. About Us – Judiciary of Eswatini Magistrate Courts handle lower-level criminal offenses and civil disputes. The High Court takes serious criminal cases, constitutional challenges, and matters that exceed the magistrates’ jurisdiction. Specialized bodies, including the Industrial Court and a Small Claims Court, handle labor disputes and minor monetary claims. The Supreme Court has the final word on legal questions.
Swazi National Courts
The Swazi National Courts handle petty criminal offenses and minor civil disputes governed by customary law. They are governed by the 1950 Swazi National Courts Act and are typically presided over by chiefs or local elders. Proceedings are less formal and follow unwritten customary rules. One important limit: a person appearing before a Swazi National Court is not permitted legal representation. If someone requests a lawyer, the case transfers to the Magistrate Court system. Appeals within the traditional track move through the Swazi Courts of Appeal, the Higher Swazi Court of Appeal, and the Judicial Commissioner, and the High Court also holds review and appellate jurisdiction over customary court decisions.
Regional Membership and the Taiwan Relationship
Eswatini is a founding member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), having participated since the bloc’s formation as the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference in 1980.12SADC. Kingdom of Eswatini The country’s fiscal footing also depends heavily on the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), the world’s oldest customs union: SACU receipts historically account for 30 to 35 percent of total government revenue, which leaves the budget sensitive to regional trade shifts.
Eswatini and Taiwan have maintained formal diplomatic relations since 1968, making Eswatini the last country in Africa to officially recognize Taiwan rather than the People’s Republic of China. Both nations maintain embassies in each other’s capitals.