Africa-Press – Eswatini. Not even a penny was received by some legislators in exchange for a Senate vote.
Some 12th Parliament politicians have denied ever being in the same space with an aspirant senator who offered cash for an original vote. In fact, some of the interviewed legislators claimed that they had not interacted much with the aspiring politicians as they had their own people to nominate. Nkwene Constituency Member of Parliament MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini said from the onset, he would advise aspiring senators to curb their enthusiasm as he had two candidates he was canvassing votes for.
Campaign
As such, the MP said he was a campaign manager (galajane) for an aspirant senator, who eventually won in the female category. Also, he said in the male category, there was a candidate he supported because of the vision used while lobbying. “No one approached me with the promise of money; but some would seek to meet me and I’d tell them that I had already committed my votes for both categories,” he said. He said those he met were also offering to assist and support with projects. The legislator emphasised that he had not received a single penny with a promise of an original vote. “Anginavalo!” loosely meaning he was not scared of anything. Also, Timphisini Constituency MP Thulani Nsingwane said he received nothing at all from aspiring senators. Nsingwane claimed that he had not been approached because few people knew him. “I never saw the money and I’ve been baffled on how they got it,” Nsingwane said. In fact, he claimed that he voted for a relative who was already nominated and did not pay him as his vote was not for sale.
Also, Mafutseni Constituency MP Sabelo Mthethwa said he knew nothing about the sale of Senate votes. He said there were people who approached him; but he never took any money as he knew that it had to be earned. On the other hand, Mayiwane Constituency MP Sicelo Dlamini supposed that he was invited to meetings but never attended them. He purported to have been shocked when hearing that there were claims that some legislators were paid money in order to vote for the nominees. Hhukwini Constituency MP Alec Lushaba said he never attended any of the meetings where the Senate nominees lobbied the MPs and as such, he never got to see the money. “I went with the people I had committed my votes to and I informed those who approached me late that I had already offered them to other people,” Lushaba said.
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