Swazi Observer
28 August 2008
PUDEMO ‘stigma’ costs man elections victory
By Timothy Simelane
A candidate who lost out of the primary elections is bitter that he was branded a member of the People’s United Democratic Party (PUDEMO) by people who convinced voters not to vote for him.
Clement Ndzinisa, who is Chairman of the Manzini North branch of the Swaziland National Youth Council (SNYC) says the traditional authorities of Mzimnene Chiefdom were also involved in spreading the untrue rumours about him prior to the elections.
As a result, Ndzinisa says he lost the elections with nine votes to Jerry Motsa.
Ndzinisa got 136 votes, whilst Motsa went away with 145 votes.
“I am not a member of PUDEMO and I do not even know how to register as one. Some people went about tarnishing my name so I could lose,” he said.
Ndzinisa said he was also bitter that a number of his supporters were denied the right to vote despite that they had been granted transfer status from the places where they had registered.
“On Saturday when many of my supporters went to Eticantfwini to cast their votes, they were turned back by the polling officers who said they should vote at Manzini Central. This is not true given that these people had all obtained transfer status, including the person who had raised my name during nominations.”
Ndzinisa said he had written a letter to the Elections and Boundaries Commission to complain about the mishap.
Chairman of the EBC Chief Gija Dlamini said on Monday that all concerns from candidates and voters would be attended to.
Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=46520§ion=main
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