By Musa Mdluli
Africa-Press – Eswatini. Sandile Nxumalo, the Somntongo Member of Parliament(MP) who doubles as a member of the Public Accounts Committee(PAC) says, he will “work with utmost integrity in ensuring that, the health crisis amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals is addressed”.
The MP was responding on Saturday evening when asked to clarify allegations suggesting that, he spied members of the PAC during their recent trip to India and subsequently sent the information to SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff.
The PAC travelled to India on a Fact Finding Mission to verify information from a supplier that was working with Ashraff who, apart from being suspected of looting public funds within the Ministry of Health, stands accused of supplying Government with expired drugs.
It has been disclosed that, due to the sensitivity of the investigation, all the MPs were warned by PAC Chairman and Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga not to post on social media or share their trip to India pictures with anyone.
But MP Nxumalo is not only alleged to have defied the Chairman and sent the pictures to Kareem Ashraff but, posted on his WhatsApp status thus “placing all the travelling MPs lives in danger”.
The international trip was so sensitive such that, officials from the international donor organization that funded the PAC trip, pleaded with editor Zweli Martin Dlamini to at least publish the story once the MPs came back as their lives might be in danger.
As a result, the editor who received the information even before the MPs travelled to India, agreed to put the story on hold in protection of the MPs.
When questioned by the editor why he posted the pictures despite being warned not to do by the PAC Chairman, the Somntongo MP confirmed that the pictures were posted on his Whatsap status but apologized saying it was a mistake that he unconditionally regrets.
“Let me confirm that, indeed the pictures were posted on my Whatsap status but, it was a mistake that I regret. It’s true that we were warned not to post and it was a mistake on my part and I hereby apologize”, he said.
The Somntongo MP then asked to clarify information that written by the editor in one of his previous opinion articles where he heavily criticized him for “speaking in Parliament saying, drugs were available in public hospitals and that, the supply won’t be affected” by the halting of donor funding by the United States(US) Government.
“Le-article yangilimata kakhulu esiveni ngabonakala ngingumuntfu lotsengisa ngekuhlupheka kwalaMaswati kani phela loku lengakukhuluma ePhalamende was based on information and commitment we received from the Executive arm of Government. I am very happy that in this matter, uMlangeni editor angishayele angibute ngitochaza ngaletitfombe kungaze kubhaleke ngendlela lengabe kumbe nangichazile kungaba ncono. Let me assure the Nation that, together with the PAC, I am vigorously working towards ensuring that drugs are available in public hospitals and what I said in Parliament was based on information provided by the Executive. When demanding accountability as Parliament, we normally give the Executive a platform to explain and make commitment how they will address the social challenges affecting the country. It then becomes easy to demand accountability when you question that particular Minister based on the commitment made. In this particular matter, the Health Minister assured us as Parliament that, drugs will be available and, we will then go back and demand the drugs saying “watsi emaphilisi atawuba khona, aphi?”
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