BREAD USED TO BUY VOTES

Times Sunday

12 October 2008

I gave MPs lots of bread—Mr Bread owner

By MAKHOSI MAGONGO

MBABANE— REVEALED: Mister Bread boss Wyne Levendale ‘assisted many’ MPs in their campaign for Parliament elections.

Some of the aspiring MPs were given loads of bread to buy votes, while other sponsorships from Mister Bread came in the form of cash prizes for soccer tournaments hosted by the campaigning nominees.

In return for the favour, they were supposed to elect him to be a senator once they were inside Parliament. But the plot did not go well, as Levendale lost to Tom Mndzebele, who made history by becoming the first visually impaired man to become a senator. Mndzebele got 44 votes while Levendale got 16 after a run off.

On Friday during the selection of senators, Mtsambama MP Bheki ‘No Problem’ Mkhonta nominated Levendale.

MP Mkhonta, a SUB Manager by occupation, yesterday acknowledged that Levendale assisted many MPs during the run down to the elections. He said he was not pleased that his nominee had lost, but was however happy that Mndzebele was eventually successful.

He further explained why he nominated Levendale. He listed several reasons why he wanted Levendale to become a senator.

"The first reason is that he is a Swazi who registered for the elections at Hhukwini area. Electing him would have made us a non-racist country. Our parliament should be balanced along racial lines, as much as we need to have people from the disabled Swazi community represented. I also believe that he has invested a lot of money in Swaziland and is committed to poverty alleviation in that his company employs over 300 people who have dependants.

"I also know for a fact that he assisted a lot of MPs while they were still campaigning for elections. The assistance came in many forms, including prizes for soccer tournaments organised by the MPs. There was free bread provided for the people, which is another way of alleviating poverty," he claimed, adding: "As for soccer, he has sponsored our 1st division league and many other community leagues."

MP Mkhonta said electing Levendale would have encouraged other investors who own businesses in the country. He said Levendale’s election would also be good for his constituency, Mtsambama.

Even though they are rivals in business, Mkhonta says he believes Levendale would have added value to the upper House.

"Nonetheless, I would like to congratulate Mndzebele who was the ultimate winner. I believe he represents a section of our society that has been marginalized over the years," he said.

Levendale said he was not bitter about the loss. "It’s fine, we can only try. At the end of the day, I am happy for the man who eventually won. I have no hard feelings," he said yesterday.

He confirmed that he assisted a lot of MPs when they were still campaigning. He, also, did not disclose any names.

He, however, said donating to impoverished rural areas was his company policy, though the donations were distributed via the then Parliament hopefuls.

He said his interest to become a senator was purely for the development of the country. "The difference between me and some of the people there is that I already have a well paying job, being a senator would have been purely a social responsibility. It was not a way of enriching myself. I wanted to participate in development because I believe Swaziland is a beautiful country that has a lot of potential," he said, adding: "However I believe there are many other people who are there purely for the development of the country, not to enrich themselves."

Chief Gija, the Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission said he had been told that there was a case involving bread that is due to be heard in the high court. He was unsure whether it involved Mr Bread.

He further said donations should not be done with the expectation that there will be a favour returned.

"We have already warned against such donations. Giving is a blessed thing. However, when you give, you should not expect to be given a favour in return," he said. He said people elected into parliament were expected to be honest, and to desist from behaviour that is not in line with the law.

Link http://www.times.co.sz/index.php?news=2142

WHO PAID MOST FOR A SENATE SEAT?

Times of Swaziland

10 October 2008

Comment

Editorial

D-Day: Who paid the most?

Members of Parliament are today expected to elect a Speaker of the House and elect 10 members to serve as senators. A new system has been adopted where each member will have an opportunity to not only submit a candidate’s name, but also have time to motivate the submission.

To expect that this new system could bring about a better selection from the parliamentarians is only wishful thinking.

opportunity

It provides a good opportunity though for us to identify the people who support those we know to have pumped in lots of money for a Speaker and Senate seat.

People have been paid, very well, to get desperate wanna-be-politicians into parliament as demonstrated by the shooting down of MP Nonhlanhla Dlamini when she suggested they look at beefing up the House with professionals who had expertise in fields that were not represented in the House.

She rightly observed the shortage of the legal fraternity yet their job had a lot to do with formulating legislation.

Some MPs also questioned why they, and not the king, had to balance the gender scales because they had a lot of males to bring to parliament; well paying males no doubt.

unhelpful

While the Attorney General was unhelpful with regards to whether they could nominate people who lost in the primary or secondary stages, we would not hesitate to say yes, but not former ministers who have a proven track record of failure.

There are many capable MPs who were robbed by bribing ambitious politicians and therefore careful consideration of the names raised must be made.

As for those who came begging for a job when MPs gathered for a workshop yesterday, well, what can we say; that’s how cheap a parliament seat has become.

Link http://www.times.co.sz/index.php?news=2095

REPORT 'PARTYING' MPS

Times of Swaziland

8 October 2008

Report partying MPs to the police, says AG

By WELCOME DLAMINI

MBABANE – Attorney General Majahenkhaba Dlamini has called upon citizens to report to the police any legislator they find throwing a party.

Dlamini said this would help bring the Members of Parliament before the law to answer on allegations of treating.

The AG said it was only the country’s courts that would help interpret the law, with regards to treating, to determine whether the legislators broke any rule or not in as far as the 1992 Elections Order is concerned.

"It is very difficult for one to draw the line between a party and a genuine thanksgiving ceremony, so we need the courts to interpret where we are supposed to draw the line regarding this issue," the AG said.

Dlamini said in the case of Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo who threw a party on Sunday in celebrating his elections victory, anyone who witnessed the event and feels it was wrong should just go to the nearest police station to report the matter.

"We need such things to be on record so that they could be easily dealt with and if no one reports them then we have no guidance in the matter because there has to be a complainant first," the AG said.

Dlamini said people should not be afraid to come forward to register their concerns but they should also be wary that their hands are not dirty.

Dlamini said this in reference to section 63 (2) of the 1992 Elections Order which makes it an offence for voters themselves to partake in festivities hosted by legislators.

"Both the legislators and voters should not be party to any corrupt practice so the person who reports any wrongdoer should also have clean hands," the AG said.

Dlamini said such issues needed to be treated with caution because one person could be reporting someone to the police out of blatant harassment.

"People have their own grudges so we have to watch out for such people before we could take any action," the AG stated.

I broke no law by throwing party - Marwick

MBABANE – MP Marwick Khumalo has said there was no law he broke by throwing a party on Sunday.

The legislator said in all his years as a parliamentarian, he had been throwing parties of this nature as a form of thanksgiving.

"All other parliament-arians throw parties after an election to celebrate their victory and I see no problem with this as it is a way of saying thank you to the people," Khumalo said.

Khumalo said his party was a thanksgiving as he had invited priests who provided the day’s prayers to show that indeed this was a genuine thanks-giving ceremony.

The MP mentioned that his other colleagues would be throwing similar parties this coming weekend and he has been invited to attend them as he had also invited them to his.

Khumalo said the law only prohibited the throwing of parties on the actual day of the election but not after then.

"Maybe we should get a legal person who is going to give us a proper interpretation of the law so as to avoid any confusion," Khumalo said.

... guilty ones could be jailed for one year

MBABANE – Parliamentarians who throw parties could face a year in jail for throwing an illegal party for voters.

According to the country’s election laws, this is termed ‘treating’ and also carries a fine of two thousand Emalangeni upon conviction.

There have been concerns raised over Marwick Khumalo’s recent thanks giving party.

He slaughtered three cows for over 1000 people of his constituency in a thanksgiving ceremony held at Mpop- homa.

When contacted on the matter, chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) Chief Gija Dlamini said there was nothing they could do regarding Khumalo’s party.

"As far as we are concerned, elections have come and gone, there is nothing that we could do," Chief Gija said.

The chief referred this newspaper to the office of the Attorney General where he said advice on the matter could be sought.

"The AG’s office is the one that could be of assistance as we also rely on them for guidance, especially on legal matters," Gija said.

'WINNING MP GAVE PEOPLE BREAD'

Swazi Observer

8 October 2008

Chief Gija neutral in ‘No Problem’ case

By Sabelo Mamba

CHAIRMAN of the Elections and Boundaries Commission Chief Gija Dlamini has taken a neutral position in an elections case in which newly-elect Mtsambama Member of Parliament Bheki ‘No Problem’ Mkhonta is being challenged at the High Court.

In his answering affidavit, Chief Gija said he had considered the application brought by aspiring MPs Mlamuli Dlamini and Teddy Mavuso, who are seeking an order disqualifying Mkhonta for alleged malpractice.

The EBC chairman says he had come to the conclusion that he does not wish to participate in the case, but would abide by the decision of the High Court.

“An aspect of the matter in which the second respondent (EBC) reserves its right to be heard by the court, relates to the alternative prayer for setting aside and nullifying the secondary elections for Mtsambama Constituency held on September 19, 2008 and also a prayer seeking to direct a re-election to be conducted,” he explains.

In the court application, Dlamini (Mlamuli) claims that Mkhonta hired a van loaded with white and brown loaves of bread, which he distributed to the community during a campaigning exercise.

He argues that such act was in contravention of the Constitution and Elections Order, 1992.

Dlamini alleges that the soccer administrator did not only supply people with bread, but went to the extent of giving traditional leaders and other voters a lot of money.

He argues that the elections were neither free nor fair.

Dlamini also contends the elections were fraught with Mkhonta’s malpractice.

“I submit that in the circumstances the first respondent (Mkhonta) is liable to be disqualified from the elections in terms of the nature and repeated malpractice,” he says.

Dlamini is being represented by Titus Mlangeni.

The case will be heard tomorrow.

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=47485&section=main

ACCUSATION OF BRIBERY

Weekend Observer

4 October 2008

…I turned down E60 000 bribe - Mabhanisi

Aspiring Member of Parliament Sibusiso Mabhanisi Dlamini has claimed that former Parliamentarian Sibusiso Nkambule tried to offer him E60 000 if he withdrew his application at the High Court.

Dlamini alleged that Nkambule offered him E60 000 from his gratuity if he dropped the court case and further promised that he would lobby Members of Parliament to elect him into Senate.

He said the conversation occurred on Tuesday during lunch hour at the High Court.

"I turned down the offer because I would have betrayed the people of Kwaluseni if accepted the money," he said.

Dlamini said his lawyer (Professor Msibi) was also aware about the issue.

Contacted for comment, Nkambule said he never at any stage tried to bribe Dlamini by giving him E60 000.

Nkambule said the E60 000 idea was raised in passing by followers of both parties.

"I would not go out of my way and give him so much money," he said.

"What has he done to deserve so much money? I would have not asked him to withdraw the matter.

"I don't fear him. I will still win the elections.

I confident that the results will not change. Even my child can beat him hands down. I'm more than ready for the primary elections."

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/weekend/main.php?id=47393&section=mainweek