Africa-Press – Eswatini. ‘We don’t want ‘emakhiwa labolile’ in Parliament.’
This was an assertion by some senators who said it was often those who, all of a sudden changed and started engaging in things that the electorate had not sent them to do.
‘Emakhiwa labolile’ can be likened to rotten figs. This was the general feeling of the senators during the annual performance and budget debate of the Ministry of Tinkhundla, Administration and Development held at Senate yesterday. It was chaired by Senator Prince Hlangabeza.
Senator Prince Mphatfwa sympathised with the ministry for the havoc that had befallen the nation. He said constituency centres were the backbone of the nation.
Arsonists
While the senator did not succinctly state what he was referring to, it is common knowledge that many constituency centres and other government and private properties have been a target for arsonists recently. “Ingabe njengoba kunje, umhlaba unje, lenta taba tini litiko kwekutsi kungaphindzeki naku lokuphindzekile. Utsi uyasebenta ukhandze kutsi ePhalamende watfumela likhiwa lelinjeyane, lelibolile, kulidvosa ngemsila sekulikhuni. Selilapha ePhalamende, langekhatsi alidleki nekudleka,” he said in vernacular. (What is the ministry doing to ensure that you don’t find yourself in a position where you send someone to Parliament, only to find that he/she was not the right candidate and it’s now difficult to withdraw that person).
He continued, “Upon observing this, what is the ministry doing that when the process of going back to chiefs and constituencies is done to select candidates who will build the nation, asekubonakale kutsi letintfungo lesitikhipha manje lemiphakatsini asetibonakale kutsi ngutiphi ngoba phela letinye setiba ngulokunye.
Chiefs know their people. When they form queues, there is no vetting. Can the ministry ensure that chiefs vet these people because as a chief, I know about my people. What has the ministry done to ensure that when elections are done, the right candidates are chosen. “Tisha letinkhundla nje, ngebantfwabetfu. Siyati kutsi bobani kepha emaphoyisa atsi kute bufakazi.”
Senator Isaac Magagula said this was an issue of security of tinkhundla Centres. Magagula submitted that the minister should not be diplomatic. He asked him if he was aware that come 2023 (elections time), there would be attempts to make elections fail.
He asked if the ministry would find itself collaborating with the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to ensure that constituents were educated about the elections.
“It is an open secret that our country is being put in bad light in other countries,” he submitted. Magagula further asked if the ministry ever considered marketing the kingdom to change the perceptions that were already implanted upon people’s minds. He alleged that people were ruining the good reputation of the country.
Disheartened
In the same breath, Chief Ngalonkhulu Mabuza expressed that they were disheartened by what happened to constituency centres because they were the hope and refuge of the nation in times of troubles. However, he said God never slumbered nor slept. The senator said he was not cursing those behind the arson attacks, but was simply expressing pain from his heart. He said although the minister had touched on the safety measures of constituency centres, he was not fully satisfied in that there was a private security guard company that was hired to guard them. The senator mentioned that this was because the arsonists would know that they only carried batons and this would encourage them to continue with the attacks.
He suggested that if there could be at least one police officer deployed in each constituency centre because people were afraid of law enforcers because they carried guns. “They should be deployed until the end of this situation. No situation remains permanent, then sebangabuyela ke labeticwayi,” he said. On another note, Senator Chief Mphatfwa said he was of the view that the budget allocation of E44 million was too little yet this was a crucial ministry. He said when the subject of Tinkhundla was brought up, it was the very essence of the nation and how it was made up.
The prince added that previously, the minister had mentioned how there was a need to promote monarchial democracy. He said the world needed to know about it, and how constituency centres were being run. However, looking at the budget that was requested from Cabinet, the senator felt it was far less. He further asked if the E44 million would also cater for the refurbishment of the constituency centres such as Timphisini and Mayiwane that were severely gutted by fire.
Queried
The prince queried if the funds would also be adequate to put fencing around the centres. He asked if government would build top-of-the-range structures as it had introduced decentralisation to improve centres, so that it could be seen that they were progressing. Also, Chief Ngalonkhulu posed a question on whether the ministry was pleased with regional offices in resolving disputes which tend to end in arson attacks. He further asked if there was no role that it (ministry) could play in such a way that traditional structures could be reached where the disputes emanate. In his reasoning, he said this would ensure that people were educated and informed that these disputes derailed the progress of the nation. Senator Chief Mvimbi Matse said the ministry should carefully look into the issue of arson attacks.
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