MBABANE, Sept 19, 2008 (AFP) - Foreign observers monitoring Swaziland's parliamentary elections on Friday said the exclusion of political parties in Africa's last absolute monarchy made the poll 'extraordinary'.

'The non-participation of political parties makes these elections extraordinary from any others... but we hope with time things will change,'

said Mary Mugyenyi, the head of the Pan-African Parliament mission.

'What we see here is people choosing their leaders to represent them in parliament. They are not from any political parties,' Mugyenyi told AFP.

The elections are the first to be held under the country's new constitution adopted in 2006, but candidates contesting seats in parliament can only stand as independents under the traditional Tinkhundla system.

The African Union (AU) said it would discuss the issue of banned political parties in its post-election report.

'Right now there is nothing we can do or say about it,' said AU mission leader, Abdool Rahman. 'We came to the country after receiving an invitation from government.'

Political parties in Swaziland were banned by law in 1973, but various groups and trade unions had been calling for the establishment of a multi-party democracy and the abolition of the monarchy.

The Elections Institute of Southern Africa (EISA) said Swaziland electoral laws were different from any other African country.

'The electoral process is difficult to understand. We are aware that the two months leading to the elections have seen intensified campaigns to end the system,' said EISA Victor Shale.

A senior official with Swaziland's Elections and Boundaries Board Commission said voting was proceeding smoothly in all polling station around the country.

'People are streaming in slowly at various stations to exercise their democratic rights of electing their leaders. We have not experienced any problems,' said Mzwandile Fakudze.