Swazi Observer
18 September 2008
No secondary elections in 5 tinkhundla
By Timothy Simelane
SECONDARY elections have been suspended in five Tinkhundla Centres, owing to pending court cases in which candidates are disputing the results of the Primary Elections.
Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission Chief Gija Dlamini said the EBC would have to wait for a directive from the courts on how to proceed with the elections.
The five Tinkhundla centres were named as Timphisini, Kwaluseni, Maseyisini, Mbabane East and Nkilongo.
Dlamini said though the High Court had issued a ruling on the Nkilongo elections, the candidates who challenged the winner, former Deputy Speaker Trustee Gina, have since filed an appeal.
The High Court was expected to preside over other causes today or next week, whilst the Supreme Court sits in November.
Chief Gija said though there were 10 court cases in which the primary elections were disputed, the EBC had won seven of these.
The Chairman said it was all-systems-go for the elections tomorrow.
“Ballot papers are now ready and the nation must rest assured that all will be normal at the polling centres or stations. The ballot papers will be the same for each constituency.
“The voters’ roll will be confined to each polling centre as the case was with respect to the primary elections. This helps in eliminating any double voting. The name of the voter appears in the register of a centre in which the voter registered or was transferred to register in.”
He said the EBC had simplified the process of voting by availing more polling stations. He said this was in line with the SADC principle that polling stations must be close to the people. Dlamini said this would also reduce transport costs.
Though there are 50 tinkhundla centres, there are 342 voting stations nationally.
The EBC said counting would be done at the Tinkhundla centres on Saturday, and emphasised that there would be no counting on Friday for security reasons.
The chairman urged voters to start voting at 7 am when doors open in polling stations. Doors will be closed at 6 pm.
Dlamini warned voters not to wear campaign T. shirts on Friday as such would violate the electoral law, and stressed that all campaigning comes to an end today.
Chief Gija announced that tomorrow is a public holiday to allow people to go to the polls.
Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=46948§ion=main
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