Eswatini

House of AssemblySenate

House of Assembly

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections

Background

Election date(s) The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
20.09.2013
Timing of election Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections The expected date at which the next elections should take place, based on law or practice.
30.09.2028
Number of seats at stake Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
55
Scope of elections Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
Full renewal

Candidates

Total number of candidates Total number of people who registered as candidates for election. Does not include people who stood as candidates to become "substitute members".
309
Number of male candidates Number of male candidates
254
Number of female candidates Number of female candidates
55
Percentage of women candidates The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
17.8%
Notes
Number of parties contesting the election: N/A. Political parties are banned from taking part in elections.

Voter turnout

Registration Number of people registered to vote
415,012

Results

About the election Short description of the context and results of the election.
At stake in the 2013 elections were 55 of the 65 members in the House of Assembly, the other 10 seats being appointed by the King.

Political parties are banned from taking part in elections. All candidates thus stood as independents. The People's United Democratic Movement of Swaziland (PUDEMO, a banned political party which operates from South Africa), called on citizens to boycott the 2013 elections. PUDEMO leader Mario Masuku argued no election can be free in the absence of political parties.

Mr. Jan Sithole - a pro-democracy activist and leader of the Swaziland Democratic Party (Swadepa) – was elected to the House, pledging to change the government from the inside. The outgoing Deputy Speaker, Ms. Esther Dlamini, became the sole woman to be elected to the House of Assembly in 2013. Following the elections, King Mswati III appointed two princes, a princess and three members of his Dlamini clan to the House of Assembly.

On 28 October, the King re-appointed his half-brother, Mr. Barnabas Dlamini, as Prime Minister. The latter - who pledged to tackle corruption and work for the King's vision to bring the kingdom to First World status by 2022 - will serve an unprecedented fourth term.
Alternation of power after elections The results of the elections caused a change in the government. "Not applicable" to countries using the presidential system when parliamentary and presidential elections are held separately, to countries in political transition or where there is no party system.
No
Note on the alternation of power
Monarchy
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
61
Number of women elected
4
Percentage of women elected The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected in the election and the number of seats at stake at the election.
7.27%
Note on the Distribution of seats according to sex
One woman was elected, while three others were appointed by the King.
Other notes
Following the proclamation by the King on the occasion of the country's 50th anniversary in April 2018, the country name has been modified from Swaziland to Eswatini with effective of 30 May 2018.
Women Directly Elected
1
Women Appointed
3

New legislature

Total number of men after the election The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
61
Total number of women after the election The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
4
Date of the first session The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
17.10.2013
First Speaker of the new legislature
First Speaker of the new legislature First name of the Speaker of the new legislature following the election or renewal.
Themba Msibi (Male)
Date of election
21.10.2013