ROW OVER SWAZI SENATE NAMES

Swazi Observer

1 October 2008

Robert Magongo rules Nkwene MP out of order

By Sisho Magagula

EVEN before they get into the august chamber to commence business, some of the recently elected Members of Parliament have ruled one another “out of order”.

MP under Motjane Inkhundla, Robert Magongo has ruled Nkwene MP Aaron Dladla and Hlane MP Mduduzi Magagula out of order for suggesting that Walter Bennett and Mfomfo Nkambule should be considered for Senate seats.

The two MPs suggested that Bennett is crucial for his “corruption buster” status whilst Nkambule would come in handy in cracking the whip on government on behalf of the people.

“This is wrong. The MPs are out of order. Bennett is not proper to be a senator. Recently, he was at Mgungundlovu on a mission to de-campaign Hlobsile (Ndlovu) and Lutfo (Dlamini) when at the same time the King was honouring him with a medal at Hospital Hill through the Prime Minister. Such a person obviously does not deserve a seat in Senate,” said Magongo.

The football administrator turned pastor further disclosed that Mfomfo Nkambule should not be voted into Senate because of his political affiliations.

“Nkambule publicly declared that he is a member of a political party. Now, one of the duties of legislators is to protect the institution of the monarch. How is Mfomfo going to protect the monarchy when he in a political party?,” he said.

Nkambule said this is the opinion of Magongo and there is nothing he can do about it. “In politics you learn to respect other people’s opinions and if Magongo doesn’t know this, then we must welcome him to politics. I’m however honoured that some MPs recognise that I can make a commendable contribution if elected into senate,” he said.

Bennett was chairing council meeting when called last night.

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=47300&section=main

MORE ELECTION BRIBES REVEALED

Swazi Observer

25 September 2008

AG punches hole in elections

By Nelsiwe Ndlangamandla

ATTORNEY General Majahenkhaba Dlamini has observed that candidates bribed voters to win parliamentary seats in the recent elections.

Dlamini said there were a lot of mischievous deeds done by the candidates. However, he said, he did not want to be specific about some of the people and the things they did.

"There are a lot of things that happened but I can not be specific since that would seem I am attacking people."

Dlamini said people declared publicly that they were given money to vote.

He said that was not the way to win in an election.

"There has to be no use of money when campaigning but people's actions and their work should win them the parliamentary seats."

He said the candidates knew what was expected of them but they continued to break the law.

"Giving people money is against the law and the candidates know that but they continue defying the law."

Dlamini stated that, all in all, the elections were free and fair.

He said the elections were better this time around because the candidates were not controlled on which topics to speak on.

"The fact that the candidates were allowed to speak on any topic they wanted, showed that the elections were free and fair."

...Mfomfo sees next cabinet shortchanged

EX Member of Parliament Mfomfo Nkambule has felt pity for the next cabinet ministers who will be forced to work with a various boards they did not have time to elect.

These are boards that were hastily appointed by the outgoing cabinet but will have to work with a different set of ministers for the next three years.

"Logic dictates that the ministers do not know the members of these boards yet they are the ones to have appointed them," says Nkambule.

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=47147&section=main

'SOME MPS MADE BRIBES TO VOTERS'

Swazi Observer

24 September 2008

Mfomfo doubts some MPs

By Timothy Simelane

FORMER MP Mfomfo Nkambule has congratulated the winners of the parliamentary elections but casts doubt on a number of them who allegedly bought voters.

Nkambule says it is an open secret that some of the MPs paid voters to vote for them.

He said the danger in this was that a government of people who buy favours was being created.

“We have to analyse the system by which we elect the MPs to see if it does not promote corruption. I fear that we will struggle to fight corruption because we are positioning people involved in it in parliament,” he said.

Nkambule, who also leads the Inhlava Political Forum is a former cabinet minister and has served two terms in parliament.

He could not be nominated this year because he said he was in church on the nomination date.

His assertion is supported by several court applications in which candidates complained that their competitors had paid voters.

In one case, an election winner was said to have distributed E50 to each voter whilst in another incident one was alleged to have distributed E10 to voters.

Meanwhile, another political commentator, Mandla Mbetse said the combination of MPs was commendable. He said he was confident that a strong parliament and Cabinet would be formed.

However, another commentator, who declined to be named said the bulk of the elected MPs were people who had been associated with crime. “One was convicted for theft of drugs, two were impeached for fraud, whilst a few others had a brush with the law in this way or the other,” he said.

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=47114&section=main

RITUAL MURDERS AND ELECTIONST

Times of Swaziland
23 June 2008

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