Times of Swaziland
24 September 2008
Folk march against new MP ‘Madubula’
By SIBUSISIWE NGOZO
MBABANE - Over 50 residents of Dlangeni chiefdom marched to the royal kraal in protest of the newly- elected Member of Parliament.
The Dlangeni chiefdom falls under the Hhukwini constituency and there are two chiefdoms under it.
The newly-elected MP of this constituency is Mkhululi ‘Madubula’ Dlamini of Lamgabhi chiefdom, who won the elections after beating former SNAT executive member Saladin Magagula with 1 053 votes.
The residents of Dlangeni felt it was unfair for their candidate to lose to Dlamini yet he allegedly did not even own a home in the area.
According to one of the protesting residents, Ntombifuthi Gama, as the electorate they felt it unfair for Dlamini to win, as he did not even stay in the area.
She said they decided to march to the royal kraal so that they could meet Chief Nsukumbili II to register their discontent in the manner in which the elections process was conducted.
"We do not understand how a person who does not even stay here, let alone own a home would win the elections," she said.
They claim Dlamini only khontaed at Lamgabhi a few months ago, he only owns a piece of land in the area.
The residents feel that he won’t be much help, as he would go back to his home area while they the electorate suffer even though there would an MP.
"We want the person whom we know and stays here full time as he would be able to deal with our problems anytime," she said
Asked on who nominated Dlamini, she said he was nominated by the youth of Lamgabhi after allegedly promising them goodies.
Though the over 50 residents could not meet the chief as he was not around but they seemed determined to see the matter being addressed.
They said they were told that the chief said he would call them since the matter was being discussed in certain forums.
When Dlamini was contacted for comment, he said he was aware that some people marched on Monday to eDlangeni Royal Kraal complaining about his win.
He said it was not true that he did not own a home at Lamgabhi as even before Techno Serve employed him he was a farmer based in the area.
"It is not true as they even saw my home on Monday after they sent people to there to check it I had the home," he said.
He said all the allegations they were saying about him were not true, it was only bitterness in some people.
When the Deputy Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, Mzwandile Fakudze, was contacted, he said he knew nothing about the matter.
"I do not know anything about this, if they have complaints they should go to court," he said.
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