RADIO MAN MAKES IT TO PARLIAMENT

Times of Swaziland

30 September 2008

Rodgers on air for the last time

By WELCOME DLAMINI

MBABANE – Newly- elected Mkhiweni Member of Parliament Rodgers ‘Nyonende’ Mamba was, surprisingly, back broadcasting on national radio yesterday.

The novice legislator is currently on a five-year leave of absence, which he had to take in order to partake in the Parliamentary elections.

Mamba was on air for five hours yesterday, after going in at 10am until 3pm.

Before that, the new MP had first made an appearance during the morning ‘Sports Show’ programme which he used to co-host with Moses ‘Mthetho’ Matsebula. During the programme, Mamba did not participate fully as he left Matsebula to be the sole host.

Contacted on his sudden return to the airwaves, MP Mamba said he had come back to bid his fans and the rest of the listeners farewell.

"I think you are aware that I had not said my goodbyes to the loyal listeners so I felt that I owed it to my fans to formally bid them farewell," he said.

The legislator said a lot of people he met on the streets asked him to bid them a proper farewell. He said the radio station management also approached him with a suggestion to say goodbye to the listeners.

Mamba said he saw it befitting to formally thank his fans for being supportive while he was still a full time radioman.

"This does not mean that I am back with the station," he said. Mamba said it is not going to be easy for him to forget his work at the radio station because he had grown fond of being on air.

"I was so used to being on air, I am really going to miss the place," Mamba said.

He said no matter how hard it would be to forget being a radioman, he, however, had to face up to the new challenges of being a Parliamentarian.

Mamba became Mkhiweni MP after beating strong contender, Gideon Dlamini, the Director of Salile Consultancy.

Mamba proved very popular with the electorate as he amassed 2 843 votes.

Link http://www.times.co.sz/index.php?news=1821