Swaziland

Section 13, subsection 10 states:

An electoral officer may be dismissed by the Commission on account of:

• (a) misconduct, incompetence or incapacity…

 

Excerpt from the Elections Act (2013)

Section 7, subsection 2 states:

Until the King and iNgwenyama has been installed, that is to say, until he has publicly assumed the functions and responsibilities of the King and iNgwenyama in accordance with this Constitution and Swazi law and custom, or during any period when he is by reason of absence  from  Swaziland  or  any  other  cause  unable  to  perform  the  functions  of  his  office, those  functions shall be  performed, save  as  otherwise provided in  this Constitution,  by  the Ndlovukazi acting as Queen Regent.

 

Section 8, subsection 2 states:

Where  the  Ndlovukazi  in  her  capacity  as  Queen  Regent  is  temporarily  out  of  the Kingdom or for any reason temporarily unable to perform the functions of her office, subject to any requirements under Swazi law and custom, the Umntfwanenkhosi Lomkhulu may perform those functions subject to any specific instructions she may make.

 

Section 53, subsection 5 states:

The Chairman and members of the Board may be removed from office by the King on the  advice  of  the  Minister responsible  for  incapacity  (whether  from  infirmity  of  the  body  or mind) or for misbehaviour.

 

Section 68 states:
(1) The office of the Prime Minister shall become vacant where:…

• (f) the Prime Minister is removed from office for misbehavior or inability to perform the functions of that office (whether arising from infirmity of body or mind)…

(2) Where the King considers the question of removing the Prime Minister from office in terms of subsection (1) (f) -

• (a)  the King shall appoint a tribunal, which shall consist of a chairman who shall be the Chief Justice and  two other reputable  persons  one  of whom  should have held the position of a Minister, Speaker of the House or President of the Senate;
• (b)  the tribunal shall enquire into the matter and report to the King whether or not to remove the Prime Minister from office for inability or misbehaviour…

(4) The office of a Minster shall become vacant where:…

• (g) the Minister is removed from office for misbehavior or inability to perform the functions of that office.

(5)  Where  a  resolution  of  no  confidence  is  passed  on  the  Cabinet  by  a  three-fifths majority of all members of the House the King shall dissolve the Cabinet.

 

Section 71 states:

Where  the Prime Minister  is absent  from  Swaziland  or  is  by reason  of  illness or any other cause  unable  to exercise  the  functions conferred on  the Prime  Minister  by this  Constitution or  any other law, those functions shall be exercised by the Deputy Prime Minster or where the Deputy Prime Minister is for any reason unable to exercise the functions of the office of the Prime Minister, by such other Minister as the King may authorize in writing for a maximum period not exceeding three months.

 

Section 72 states:

Where  a  Minister  is  absent  from  Swaziland  or  is  by  reason  of  illness  or  any  other  cause unable to exercise the functions of the office of that Minister the Minister may, after consultation with the Prime Minister, delegate those functions to another Minister in writing for a maximum period not exceeding six months.

 

Section 90, subsection 12 states:

If  before  the  Commission  has  submitted  its  report  under  section  92  the  office  of chairperson or any other member of the Commission falls vacant or the holder of that office becomes unable for any reason to discharge the functions as chairperson or member of the Commission the King shall appoint another person to be chairperson or member as provided under subsection (2).

 

Section 97, subsection 1 states:

Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  section  96,  a  person  does  not  qualify  to  be appointed, elected or nominated as the case may be, a Senator or member of the House if that person – 

• (a)  has been adjudged or otherwise declared-
  • (i)  insolvent under any law and has not been rehabilitated; or
  • (ii)  to be of unsound mind…
• (f)  has been found to be incompetent to hold public office under any law relating to tenure of public office whether elected or not…

 

Section 98, subsection 1 states:

The seat of a Senator or of a member of the House shall become vacant where-…

• (c)  the holder is absent from twenty sittings of the chamber during any  meeting  of  that  chamber  without  the  permission  in  writing  of  the  presiding officer and is unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges…

 

Section 101, subsection 2 states:

The  Deputy  President  shall  perform  the  functions  of  the  President  whenever  the President is absent or is for any reason unable to perform the functions of that office or when the President authorises the Deputy to do so.

 

Section 104 states:

(1)    Where the office of President or Deputy President is vacant or the holder of the office of  President  or  Deputy  President  is  for  any  reason  unable  to  perform  the  functions  of  that office, the Senate may elect a person (not being a Minister) from among the members of the Senate to act as President until the President or Deputy President has been elected or as the case may be, the President or Deputy President has resumed the functions of that office.

(2)  Where the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker is vacant or the holder of the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker is for any reason unable to perform the functions of that office the House may elect a person (not being a Minister) from among the members of the House to act as Speaker until the Speaker or Deputy Speaker is elected or, as the case may be, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker has resumed the functions of that office…

 

Section 118, subsection 2 states:

Any  function  under  this  section  or  section  112,113,114,  or  116  which  falls  to  be exercised  by  the  Speaker  may,  if  the  Speaker  is  absent  or  is  for  any  reason  unable  to exercise the functions of office, be exercised by the Deputy Speaker.

 

Section 153, subsection 2 states:

Where the office of the Chief Justice is vacant, or where the Chief Justice is for any reason unable to perform the functions of office -

• (a)  until a person has been appointed to, and has assumed the functions of, that office; or 
• (b)  until the person holding the office of Chief Justice has resumed the functions of that office, as the case may be, those functions shall be performed by the most senior of the Justices of the Supreme Court.

 

Section 158 states:

(1)  A  Justice  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Judicature  may  only  be  removed  from  office  in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(2)  A  Justice  of  a  superior  court  shall  not  be  removed  from  office  except  for  stated serious  misbehaviour  or  inability  to  perform  the  functions  of  office  arising  from  infirmity  of body or mind.

(3)  Where the King acting on the advice of an ad hoc committee in the case of the Chief Justice, and on the advice of the Chief Justice in the case of any Justice of a superior court, considers  that  the  question  of  removing  from  office  the  Chief  Justice  or  a  Justice  on  any ground stated in sub-section (2) ought to be investigated, the King shall refer the matter to the Judicial Service Commission for investigation.

(4)  The Commission shall enquire into the matter and recommend to the King whether the Chief Justice or the Justice ought to be removed from office.

(5)  Notwithstanding any provision of this Constitution, the King shall in each case act on the recommendation of the Commission.

(6)  Where  the  question  of  removal  in  terms  of  this  section  has  been  referred  to  the Commission the King may suspend from office the Chief Justice or the other Justice as the case may be for the duration of the inquiry.

(7)  Subject  to  considerations  of  fairness  and  natural  justice,  the  Commission  shall  be reconstituted for the purpose as may be appropriate, the Chief Justice being replaced by the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, and a Justice who is a member of the Commission being replaced by another Justice appointed by the other members of the Commission…

 

Section 159 states:

…(5)  A member [of the Judicial Service Commission] appointed in terms of subsection (2) (b) or (d) (where a member appointed under paragraph (d) does not hold the position of judge of a superior court) shall be removed from  office  by  the  King  where  the  question  of  removal  has  been  referred  to  a  tribunal appointed in terms of subsection (6) and the tribunal has recommended that the member be removed from office-

• (a)  for inability to exercise the functions of office (by reason of infirmity of body or mind or any other cause); or(b)  for misbehaviour.

(6)  Where  the  Chief  Justice  represents  to  the  King  that  the  question  of  removing  a member appointed in terms of subsection (2)(b) or (d) as mentioned in subsection (5) ought to be investigated, then -

• (a)  the  King  shall  appoint  a  tribunal  consisting  of  a  chairman  and  two  other persons selected by the Chief Justice (after consultation with the President of the Law Society of Swaziland) from among persons who hold or have held or qualify to hold high judicial office; and 
• (b)  the tribunal shall enquire into the matter, and report on the facts to the King and recommend to him whether the member concerned ought to be removed under subsection (5).

(7)  Where the position of Chief Justice is vacant or for any other reason the Chief Justice is not available the most senior of the judges of the Supreme Court shall act as chairman of the Commission…

 

Section 175 states:

(4) A member of a service commission shall be removed from office by the King where a tribunal appointed under subsection (5) recommends that the member ought to be removed from office for:

• (a) inability to exercise the functions of office (by reason of infirmity of body or mind or any other cause); or
• (b) misbehavior.

(5)  Where the Prime Minister (after consultation with the line Minister) in the case of the chairman or the chairman in the case of any other member represents to the King that the question of removing a member of a service commission under subsection (4) ought to be investigated, then -

• (a)  the  King  shall  appoint  a  tribunal  consisting  of  a  chairman  (selected  by  the Chief  Justice  from  persons  who  hold  or  have  held  or  qualify  to  hold  high judicial office) and two other persons recommended by the line Minister; and 
• (b)  the tribunal shall enquire into the matter and report on the facts to the King and recommend whether the member ought to be removed under subsection (4).

 

Section 255, subsection 2 states:

Where power is vested by this Constitution in any person or authority to appoint any person  to  act  in  or  perform  the  functions  of  any  office  where  the  holder  of  that  power  is himself unable to perform those functions, the appointment shall not be called in question on the ground that the holder of the office was able to perform those functions.

 

Excerpts from the Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland (2005)