Africa-Press – Eswatini. Politics is indeed a dirty game!
This became evident yesterday when a Bulandzeni Member of Parliament (MP) nominee and his estranged wife were both nominated for the same position under the same chiefdom.
Bulandzeni is under Ndzingeni Inkhundla. The businessman, Gcina Samson Magagula, was the first to be nominated for the MP position during the 2023 General Elections nominations exercise at Bulandzeni, conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). Judging from the residents’ reactions after he was nominated by Fano Nxumalo, Magagula was the people’s favourite.
Celebrating
After his name had been mentioned, the electorate sprung to their feet and started celebrating with the businessman. The exercise was being held under a tree. They carried him to the front, where he had to confirm his intention to run for the elections. The crowd had started ululating and was chanting with excitement, endorsing the businessman’s nomination. Magagula, according to many residents within the inkhundla, is a charismatic businessman. He is expected to give tough competition to outgoing MP Lutfo Dlamini, who was also nominated by the electorate at his chiefdom, Nkamanzi. Magagula is the owner of the popular bus named, ‘Don’t Fight’, which services the Mbabane/Pigg’s Peak and Matsamo route.
Five other individuals were nominated after Magagula, to contest the MP position. The five include his estranged wife Precious Thobile-Magagula, who was the sixth and last candidate to be nominated for the MP position at Bulandzeni. Her nomination was met with anger by many of the residents, who seemed unhappy with it. However, a group consisting mostly of women showed support to her and danced as they led her to the front after she had confirmed that she would stand for the elections. Supporters of her husband seemed agitated by her actions, as some booed her, something which, however, did not seem to bother her.
When asked on the competition with his estranged wife, the businessman said he was of the view that this was a deliberate strategy by one of his rivals, whom he did not name, to dent his efforts of being elected an MP. “Someone took advantage of our family problems. There is a rival of mine who has capitalised on our separation and is using her to fight me in the race to Parliament,” he claimed. Magagula explained that Precious was his third wife, whom he married through the Eswatini Law and Custom, but they were going through family challenges at the moment. He said legally, they were still husband and wife because, even though they were not staying together, they were not legally separated. When Precious was questioned on the matter, she only confirmed being the wife to the businessman and was not comfortable commenting more on the issue. The other four MP nominees at Bulandzeni are Mbutfo Magagula, Nhlanhla Zwane, Muthetho Dlamini and Babazile Matsenjwa.
A total of 12 individuals were nominated to contest for Bulandzeni bucopho, while five were nominated to contest the indvuna yenkhundla position at Ndzingeni. They include Fikelephi Khatsidze, who is the outgoing Ndzingeni indvuna yenkhundla. The other four individuals nominated for indvuna yenkhundla at Bulandzeni are Makhosi Magagula, Sibusiso Mahlalela, Musa Tsabedze and Ndondolozi Nxumalo. Meanwhile, Chief Ndaluhlaza, who is also the Minister of Public Works and Transport, advised the residents of Bulandzeni to nominate wisely and stick to the dictates of the Constitution.
Source: times
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