CONCERN OVER VOTE COUNT

Swazi Observer

27 August 2008

Kwaluseni’s Mabhanisi demands answers

By Sisho Magagula

MABHANISI Sibusiso Dlamini, who was standing for elections under the Kwaluseni umphakatsi has written a letter to Chief Gija, Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries (EBC), demanding answers on how he lost the primary elections.

He wants the EBC to nullify the results and fresh primary elections be held at Kwaluseni.

Dlamini was beaten by Sibusiso Nkambule.

In his letter, Dlamini says close to 200 prospective voters were turned away from the Kwaluseni Central School polling station when the ballot papers ran out.

"This amounts to about 14% of the total votes cast and impacted negatively on the results taking into account that the margin between myself and the winner was only 2.88%. The voters had arrived well before the cut off time of 1700hours," he says.

He received 343 votes whilst Nkambule received 350.

Dlamini also claims cops, soldiers and correctional services officers who would have voted for him were denied their constitutional right to vote as they were on duty and could not vote.

"I strongly believe that counting of the ballots should have commenced only after the police and correctional services staff had cast their votes." he says.

Dlamini has, however, expressed gratitude to those who voted for him.

"It shows that the people have confidence in me. I only lost because of these problems."

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=46505&section=main