3 African countries holding on to monarchies
Africa has many countries which have different modes of governance. While most countries depend on the democratic system of governance, there are others that operate under dictatorship and yet a few others that have adopted the monarchical system.
It’s an interesting arrangement particularly for these countries that have both the monarchy and constitutional rule.
Morocco
The Kingdom of Morocco by constitution follows the monarchical system. The country’s first constitution in 1962 and all subsequent ones including the most recent in 2011 emphasizes the principles of the Moroccan political system as “constitutional, democratic, parliamentary and social monarchy.”
The King is the highest authority in Morocco, as the Commander of the Faithful (Amir Al Mouminine) and the highest commander of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces.
The King is therefore mandated to choose other leaders including the prime minister from a political party which won elections. Removal of ministries, termination of parliament and government also lie in the hands of the King who also heads the Supreme Council of the Judiciary. Morocco also has a parliament system which comprises of the House of Representatives and House of Councillors.
Currently, Morocco’s King is Mohammed VI, a member of the Alawi dynasty who took over the throne on July 23, 1999, after the demise of his father, Hassan II.
Eswatini
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, has been described largely as Africa’s last absolute monarchy. The King of Eswatini exercises complete authority over government and controls every other institution that governs the country. In effect, the King is deemed above the law since the constitution does not apply to him.
The King holds the power to appoint and dismiss prime ministers and members of cabinet. Although customary procedures account for the appointment of traditional rulers, and the constitution in some cases, they all report directly to the King. The King exercises authority over the election of some members of the bicameral parliament which consists of the House of Assembly and the Senate. Under the King’s rule, every Act of parliament needs to be approved by him before being implemented.
Eswatini is ruled by King Mswati III who has been on the throne since 1986. Together with his Queen, Ntombi, they rule the people of the land.
According to the Human Rights Watch, the country has been described as being governed under total dictatorship with complaints of human rights abuse and lack of democratic reforms.
Lesotho
Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy and became a parliamentary democracy in 1966. The king is the head of state under the constitution but doesn’t participate actively in the country’s politics.
Under this system, the prime minister is the head of government and exercises executive authority. The prime minister exercises sole authority in political and governance issues. The prime minister is also in charge of the country’s defense system, that is, the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and the National Security Service (NSS). There’s also an independent and impartial judiciary with jurisdiction over civil matters. The King’s role in Lesotho is primarily ceremonial. The monarch is hereditary and the selection of the king is based on traditional laws.
King Letsie III has been the King of Lesotho since February 7, 1996 when he was reinstalled after previously abdicating the throne in 1995 when his father King Moshoeshoe II was reinstated.
