By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. Alec Lushaba, the Hhukwini Member of Parliament(MP) has been threatened with contempt of court charges by Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala merely for expressing his views inside Parliament and, protected by the Parliamentary Privileges Act.
On Wednesday, the Hhukwini MP accused Chief Justice and/or the Judiciary of lying to the public that, the welfare of judicial officers were being attended to when in fact “nothing is being done”.
CJ Bheki Maphalala subsequently released a statement accusing the MP of contempt of court in what in my view, appears to be an act of intimidation or bullying by the Judiciary against the Legislature.
So criticizing Judges or the Judiciary is now perceived or interpreted as court of court in this country and the limit is determined by the very same Judges, what a shame!.
Well, the problem started when we addressed Judges as “My Lords” and the Judiciary is powerful such that, other Judges like the Chief Justice started believing that, indeed they are ‘gods’ of this planet Earth and we are their servants or slaves hence they must regulate the way we think.
In other words “lokubitwa nga-my Lord sekwabuya latinhloko kulamanye emaJaji sekacabanga kutsi bo-nkulunkulu balamhlabeni kani phela loku kwentelwa kutsi bahlonishwe nabo bente umsebenti ngekwetsembeka”.
Judges must be respected but respect is earned, we can’t be forced to respect an alleged corrupt judicial thief like Bheki Maphalala who is selling the country’s justice system to members of the drug cartel like Kareem Ashraff.
Now, a corrupt Chief Justice who is sensitive to criticism and refusing to account is now undermining the doctrine of the separation of powers, invading the territory of the Legislative Arm of Government and, thretening an MP for doing his job.
It is important to state that, the Hhukwini MP spoke only the truth in this particular matter, the Judiciary is in a mess under the current corrupt Chief Justice and, the welfare of judicial officers is disregarded by a man who wants to sleep with all the women within the justice system including police officers.
As the situation stands, we have Acting Magistrates sitting at home with no contracts, Court Clerks are volunteering, furnitures in the various courts have depleted, some Assistant Masters of the High Court and Small Claims Court Commissioners are struggling to have their contracts renewed.
The Judiciary is being administered like “libandla lase-dibhini” by a corrupt Chief Justice who is using the law to intimidate those who criticize him, Maphalala must just back-off!!!.
In this country, we want all MPs whether pro or anti-Tinkhundla to speak freely in Parliament, Alec Lushaba is the supporter of the Tinkhundla system and he spoke in Parliament as a concerned Member of Parliament who loves his country and wants proper administration of the justice system.
Judges, like all public officers are not immune to criticism, the Chief Justice is sensitive to criticism because he knows he is incubating corruption within the Judiciary.
Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala once abused his powers, he jailed the then Lobamba MP Allan Stewart after he criticized him inside Parliament and now, he wants to do it to the Hhukwini Member of Parliament.
Even though the Lobamba MP had an attempted murder case dating back to over ten(10) years, the Chief Justice instructed the Registrar to set the trial date as a matter of urgency, appointed his own Judge to convict Allan Stewart.
Maphalala is a corrupt power-drunk Judge who wants things to be done his way otherwise, those who oppose him go to jail.
The CJ is literally abusing the judicial system either to enrich himself, sleep with women, protect his corrupt gang or fight those who oppose him.
Unfortunately, MP Alec Lushaba has no pending criminal case and we are waiting to see what the Chief Justice will do to him, we can’t be bullied by one corrupt man in this country, a corrupt Judge for that matter!.
We may differ politically as citizens but, we must learn to criticize each other constructively because all of us love this country, why should an MP be threatened with contempt of court merely for raising issues that we all know are valid?.
Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala is protecting SwaziPharm Director who is allegedly killing emaSwati by allegedly stealing billions budgeted to purchase drugs in public hospitals but, he thinks arresting an MP merely for doing his job is the right thing to do?.
Criticism remains the political
vaccine for public figures to promote transparency and accountability in the public administration.
The three(3) Arms of Government being the Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature with the media acting as the Fourth Estate were structured in a manner that promotes transparency and accountability.
Our country cannot be held ransom by this corrupt Chief Justice, it’s time to remove this thing!.
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