SWAZI POLL DIVIDES CHIEFDOM

Times of Swaziland

21 August 2008

Elections divide Tsase’s chiefdom

By SIHLE DLAMINI

NHLANGANO- Traditional authorities of Mabonabulawe and nominees yesterday marched to the Regional Administrator’s offices.

They wanted to complain about the Elections and Boundaries Commission’s decision to divide the chiefdom into two for nominations voting.

They are under Princess Tsase, who is the Acting Chief of Mkhwakweni, whose umphakatsi is Mabonabulawe.

Leading the delegation was Mabonabulawe Chief’s kraal Headman Sithela Shabalala. They said the decision to have the chiefdom fielding two candidates in each category in the upcoming elections was a way of reviving the conflict that had rocked the area in recent times.

Hhuhhuma, a sub chiefdom within Mabonabulawe, was given a privilege to nominate their own constituency councillors and Indvuna Yenkhundla and Member of Parliament. Reasons forwarded was that those in Hhuhhuma were too far from the Mabonabulawe kraal.

The names of those nominated at Hhuhhuma are known, but cannot be revealed because they were not immediately available to confirm their nominations.

"Yesterday, when the nominees went to sign their secrecy forms at Hluti police Station they were told the Hhuhhuma sub chiefdom would file their own candidates at Inkhundla level. This means Mabonabulawe has been divided into two now. We don’t need this considering our history here," Shabalala said referring to the chieftaincy dispute that saw one chieftaincy candidate, Mzikayise Ntshangase, refused burial rights by his opponents of disputed Chief Salebona Ntshangase.

Chances

He continued, "This will weaken our chances of producing an MP as we will go to the secondary elections divided. It is why we are here to seek clarification from the regional administrator."

Shiselweni RA Paul Dlamini confirmed meeting the Mabonabulawe delegation when reached for comment yesterday.

"I have met them and tried to clarify that no ulterior motive is meant. In elections orders once a place nominates a constituency councilor that place is like Umphakatsi for that election purpose.

However, I have forwarded their complaint to the EBC and I am waiting for a reply from it", Dlamini said.

He said once the reply was forwarded to them, he would relay the message to the complaining party.

Link http://www.times.co.sz/News/807.html

CHIEFS TELL SUBJECTS HOW TO VOTE

Swazi Observer

1 August 2008

'Some chiefs playing dirty games'

AS the race to parliament kick-starts tomorrow, it has been revealed that there are chiefs who tell their subjects which people to nominate and vote for.

These chiefs have their own people whom they want to go to parliament and they have announced their names to their subjects.

Further, they have threatened subjects who will defy this order in the elections.

Ncumbi Maziya, member the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), revealed this to over 50 chiefs from the Hhohho region yesterday at an election briefing held the Mhlatane High School Hall. "This extremely unacceptable practice has been brought to the attention of the EBC and I want to warn you to desist from it because it is illegal and socially wrong. A person has freedom of choice in matters relating to nomination and voting during election time. As chiefs, do not abuse your noble powers and start telling your subjects whom to vote for. This is wrong and unacceptable," said Maziya. He told presiding officers to be on the look-out for such irregular behaviour and other similar acts of misconduct. Maziya refused to announce the community centres where each of the presiding officers will be stationed. "I'm trying to avoid corruption because if I announce your stations here, dirty aspiring MPs will have a chance to sweet-talk you from today into doing them favours on Saturday and beyond. The EBC is trying to avoid corruption at all costs in these elections," he said. Maziya, who was frequently quoting verses in his address, said all returning, presiding and polling officers will have identity cards for easy recognition by voters. Over 30 presiding officers assembled at the hall for the briefing on how they would work tomorrow. Most of these comprised of senior government employees.

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=45801&section=main

WOMEN CAMPAIGN GOES TO CHIEFS

Weekend Observer

26 July 2008

‘Vote for Woman’ campaign taken to chiefdoms

The Ministry of Home Affairs’ Gender Coordination Unit in collaboration with a number of Non-Governmental Organisations and the Lutsango LwakaNgwane women’s movement is pressing ahead with its programme of sensitising the citizenry on the promotion of women’s participation in elections.

Beginning from today, the three entities will be visiting 14 chiefdoms and constituency centres in the Manzini and Hhohho regions, in a bid to promote the ‘2008 Vote for Woman campaign,’ which has drawn unbridled criticism in some chiefdoms in the country.

A number of chiefs in Shiselweni levelled matters with the campaign, stopping short to calling it ‘evil.’

They averred that the whole campaign was out to reverse a long- standing social order, which they believe was sanctioned by God when he created the earth.

The campaign, which will run on both Saturday and Sunday, will include chiefdoms and constituency centres in the Manzini and Hhohho region.

In a statement released by the ministry through Acting Principal Secretary Ben Zwane, over 3 200 participants were expected to partake in this two- day campaign.

The statement continued that this community sensitisation of women’s participation in elections at chiefdom level was a bid to increase more women in Parliament, Tindvuna Tetinkhundla, Bucopho and other decision making positions both in traditional and modern structures.

The campaign will spread to other areas not yet visited at dates still to be released.

Government’s participation in the campaign re-affirms its commitment to elevate the status of women, who have been, since time immemorial, marginalised when compared with their male counterparts.

It is also adhering to a number of international conventions that the country is a signatory to, which also call for the emancipation of women in the region and beyond.

The country struggled to meet the 30 percent women quota in the last Parliament as desired by a 1993 SADC convention, although the positive steps taken in that direction have been lauded by many observers, both locally and beyond.

In reality, the country has a lot more to do and balance the scales between men and women, especially since the African Union is now calling for a 50/50 gender representation in all sectors of life in any country in the continent.

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=45662&Section=main&articledate=Thursday,%20January%201,%201970