Swaziland Democratic Party
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Swazi Democratic Party
SWADEPA |
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|---|---|
| President | Jan Sithole |
| Secretary-General | Mbongiseni Shabangu |
| Founded | September 24, 2011 |
| Youth wing | SWADEPA Youth League |
| Ideology | Social democracy |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| International affiliation |
Progressive Alliance Socialist International (observer) |
| Colours | white, yellow, red and black |
| Party flag | |
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The Swazi Democratic Party ( abbrev. SWADEPA ) is a political party in Swaziland led by its president Jan Sithole. SWADEPA was established in 2011 and took part in the 2013 parliamentary elections in Swaziland by putting up candidates running as individuals
SWADEPA was established September 24, 2011 by long-time veterans in the democracy movement with a background largely in the trade unions supplemented by other civil society institutions such as churches. The leaders of the party were amongst the architects behind a boycott-strategy that the democracy movement has pursued since 1993 with undemocratic elections being held every 5 years. However, with the approval of a new constitution in 2005, SWADEPA was set up in 2011 in trying to change the system from within by contesting the elections. Not substituting mass mobilization, but supplementing it.
As an openly declared social democratic party, SWADEPA is the only Swazi party with a clear ideology. This is reflected in its strategy and policy platform.
SWADEPA in a nutshell. SWADEPA the political party of choice
SWADEPA Vision, Mission, Values Etc.
SWADEPA is the new kid on the political block in Swaziland and places itself in between PUDEMO and NNLC and the conservative/royalist forces in Swaziland.
It applies a pragmatic strategy of constructive and engaging opposition to the regime, which both serves the purpose of securing its own political room for manoeuvring while demonstrating to the regime and to Swazi citizens that demands for democracy doesn’t necessarily imply radicalism, republicanism and an overhaul of the Swazi society and culture.
This is a balancing act in a context of political repression and recurring police brutality which bounds for extremist views. But SWADEPA considers this to be the right strategy – also keeping in mind that no other strategies have proven successful thus far.
SWADEPA has been significantly strengthened in the political spectrum of Swaziland after the elections in October 2013 where SWADEPA won several seats in Parliament and gained a significant number of Constituency Chairpersons (iNdvunaye Nkhundla) and chiefdom representatives (Bucopho) to influence constituency and community political inclinations towards development through democracy.
Also, SWADEPA is an important agent in the wider civil society in Swaziland with a strong representation in the Constituent Assembly, in the Swaziland National Youth Council, in Student Representative Councils, trade unions etc.
Building on the boost from the election and the platform it provided, SWADEPA is today challenging the regime on a daily basis, promoting controversial agendas and pushing for changes of both an overall democratic character, but also policies containing improvements in socio-economic conditions for all Swazi’s, workers as well as unemployed, youth, old, men and women. Thus, SWADEPA is advocating for real-life improvements today, that will gather support around the party, empower citizens and increase their understanding of the benefits of democracy in action – instead of exclusively advocating for the in itself rather abstract concept of democracy.
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Wikipedia