Political parties are banned from the election, and about 530 000 eligible voters must choose from individual candidates who are almost all loyal to King Mswati III.

The King is one of the world's last absolute rulers, wielding complete control over the parliament and government, as well as over the judiciary, civil service and security forces.

Mswati, who has 14 wives and more than 25 children, has a reputation for lavish spending on planes and palaces, while 63% of his subjects live below the poverty line. Without warning or consultation, he changed the country's name from Swaziland to eSwatini ("land of the Swazis") in April.

Election campaigning was discreet, with no rallies, no manifestos and just a handful of candidate posters on main road junctions outside the capital Mbabane.

The authorities say that the absence of political parties puts local constituencies at the heart of the vote, and fosters a close link between citizens and elected representatives. "To the critics, it is important to say that there is no 'one size fits all' democracy or system of government," Pholile Dlamini, Deputy Chair of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, told AFP.

"This system is a perfect fit because eSwatini is a modern-day country that has chosen to preserve its very rich cultures and traditions."

--News24--