Swaziland
Newsletter No. 800 – 27 October 2023
News from and about
Swaziland, compiled by Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk)
in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com),
and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge.
eSwatini democracy activists reject
Sibaya dialogue to be chaired by Mswati III
By Khulekani Nene, Daily
Maverick (South Africa), 23 October 2023
Activists
calling for political reforms in Eswatini have rejected a national dialogue
that the government says will be held under the framework of traditional laws
and structures.
‘We
look forward to the Sibaya national dialogue that has been called by His
Majesty King Mswati III […],” reads a statement by Eswatini government
spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo.
Early
this year, the government announced a 30 million emalangeni
(R30-million) budget for the dialogue. Nxumalo’s statement was vague on
the modality of the dialogue. He also did not say if the dialogue would be
inclusive.
It
was King Mswati who pronounced, when
dissolving parliament on 11 July 2023, that there would be a “Sibaya National
dialogue” after
the September elections.
According
to the Eswatini constitution, Sibaya “constitutes the highest policy and
advisory council of the nation”.
“The
Sibaya is the Swazi National Council constituted by Bantfwabenkhosi (Princes
and Princesses), the tikhulu (Chiefs) of the realm and all adult citizens
gathered at the official residence of the Ndlovukazi (Queen Mother) under the
chairmanship of iNgwenyama (King) who may delegate this function to any
official,” it reads.
During
Sibaya, emaSwati gather at a large cattle byre within the queen mother’s
residence at Ludzidzini Palace, about 20km south of the capital Mbabane. At
Sibaya, the king usually makes important pronouncements such as the appointment
of a prime minister and the dissolution of parliament.
Sometimes
the king allows the people to voice their concerns and make submissions on
social, political and economic issues. Such deliberations are known as “the
people’s parliament”.
However,
activists and political formations have for years refused to accept the Sibaya
dialogue as a platform to deliberate on the political matters. They contend
that it gives the monarch an upper hand in the sense that, as per the
constitution, the monarch is chairperson of Sibaya.
The
Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF), which comprises civil society and political
formations, told Daily Maverick that it will not participate.
“It
is crucial to highlight that there have been no legal changes to the
constitution, character or authority of Sibaya since the last one, which
unfortunately did not result in meaningful engagement with the citizens. Sibaya
is not the appropriate platform for the type of dialogue we are advocating
for,” said MSF spokesperson Sivumelwano Nyembe.
The
MSF had been calling for “an internationally mediated dialogue” whose primary
goal would be reforming the current political system and ushering in a new
constitution that guarantees multiparty democracy.
Nyembe
added: “We anticipate that the government will honour the Southern African
Development Community resolution and establish an all-encompassing political
dialogue process that acknowledges the role of people’s organisations. History
has shown that an individualistic approach has proven ineffective in achieving
lasting peace and meaningful democratic changes.”
During
the last Sibaya on 11 July 2023 only the king spoke and none of the people in
attendance was afforded an opportunity to make submissions or respond to what
the monarch had said.
Similarly,
during Sibaya in July 2021, held in the aftermath of pro-democracy protests
that were violently suppressed, only King Mswati addressed the gathering. Then
he lambasted pro-democracy activists, calling them dagga smokers.
The
last Sibaya where ordinary people were afforded a chance to make submissions
was in 2018.
To
read more of this report, click here
Sibaya proves it cannot solve our problems
By Son of the Soil, Times
of eSwatini, 26 October 2023
His Majesty King Mswati III opened Sibaya on Monday,
as announced, and in his speech, he touched on a number of subjects including
the elections, the civil unrest, the economy and the incoming government.
After telling the nation that he was praying for God’s
guidance as he ponders on the best candidate for the ‘captain’ of the ship in
the prime minister (PM) and Cabinet ministers, he asked Sibaya to ‘help’ him
identify this captain.
He reminded Sibaya, however, that while he wanted to
be advised by this platform, which, according to the Constitution, is highest
policy and advisory council of the nation, on the choice of this ‘man’, the
nation must be clear that, constitutionally, he can only be advised and it was
up to him to take that advice if he so chooses. As widely expected, he
opened the People’s Parliament and encouraged emaSwati to speak out freely
about all issues that bother them, which would also include making suggestions
on the best PM candidate. He promised to return on the last day, which,
unless I have missed out on some information, remains unknown. That pretty much
marked the end of the first day and the People’s Parliament began in earnest on
Tuesday.
Several political figures have been making
presentations on some topics and the attendees have been allowed to pose
questions to them and make their own presentations, with each speaker
supposedly given no more than three minutes. EmaSwati, and indeed the
international community, do not know if this is the national dialogue we were
promised. We wait in bated breath to hear how this is concluded. Watching
from the comfort of my house the proceedings on Tuesday, my conviction that
Sibaya can never be a credible and practical platform for serious discourse on
the country’s contemporary socio-political problems was bolstered.
To read more of this report click here
http://www.times.co.sz/my-two-cents-worth/142385-sibaya-proves-it-cannot-solve-our-problems.html
Sibaya gathering: Royal family member Sibusiso Dlamini
interrupted, microphone grabbed for telling Mswati to unban political parties
and allow Parliament to democratically elect a Prime Minister
By Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 24 October,
2023
LUDZIDZINI:
Sibusiso Dlamini, a member of the royal family and founder of the African
United Democratic Party (AUDP) was interrupted and the microphone was
forcefully grabbed after he told King Mswati to unban political parties and
allow Parliament to democratically elect a Prime Minister (PM).
Eswatini is
ruled by Mswati as an absolute Monarch, political parties are banned from
participating in elections and the King appoints the Prime Minister, Cabinet
Ministers,Judges, a majority of Senators and all members of the various
Governing Councils.
The dramatic
grabbing of the microphone was witnessed on Tuesday during the ongoing Sibaya
national gathering at Ludzidzini Palace, the King is highly expected to appoint
a Prime Minister this week.
Dlamini
further submitted that, Members of Parliament (MPs)must be elected as
representatives of their political parties and then elect a Prime Minister who
will be accountable to the people.
“MPs must be
elected as representatives of their various political parties, so political
parties must be unbanned and be legally registered”, said the founder of the
AUDP.
See also
eSwatini government
spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo clarifies
http://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=5416
Choice of PM dominates
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=21379
Sibaya not a democratic
forum but “Indlu yaka-Gogo” where the King reduces citizens into family members
and impose a Prime Minister
http://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=5391
Last 25 years 90% MPs have lost elections
By Sabelo Gabs Nxumalo, Times
of eSwatini, 24 October 2023
The Tinkhundla Political System of Government has
experienced a rather disturbing poor record in terms of returning Members of
Parliament (MPs).
As a political analyst, one must ask a few crucial
questions about these realities. King Sobhuza II, when introducing this system,
said the system was an experiment that emaSwati would have to improve from time
to time. The only way to improve our political system is to occasionally sit
back and analyse its performance in terms of MPs who form an important part of
the system. This analysis must be void of any bias but just answer pertinent
questions to get honest answers to improve the system.
The first critical question to ask is why 90 per cent
of MPs, for the past 25 years, have not been able to be re-elected for a second
team. The second question we must ask is whether it is a good thing that 90 per
cent of elected MPs have not been able to be re-elected for a second term in
the past 25 years. In order to
adequately answer the question, one would have to know the expectations of the
electorate who are the voters from their MPs. I hope I would be correct to say
the voters are looking for good service delivery. They are looking for
roads, clinics, schools, hospitals, job creation, assistance in starting
businesses and much more. A vast majority of emaSwati don’t care about the
legislative duties of MPs but want improved services in their communities. The
only reason you vote for a person is because you believe he or she can improve
your lives at community level, in one way or another. One of the duties of MPs
is to provide oversight on the government that has been given the responsibility
to use public funds for the benefit of all emaSwati. Then finally and most
importantly, MPs are tasked with the duties of begging government departments
to provide services to voters.
To read more of this
report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/feature/142350-last-25-years-90-mps-have-lost-elections.html
‘Buying Senate votes
undermines elections’
By Nkosingiphile Myeni, eSwatini
Observer, 22 October 2023
Amidst
the hullabaloo of buying votes for senate seats from MPs, the Commission on
Human Rights and Public Administration and Integrity (CHRPAI) has weighed-in on
the ongoing investigations on senate seats buying.
CHRPAI
Deputy Commissioner Duduzile Dlamini-Nhlengethwa said they would wait for
investigations currently being conducted by the Anti-Corruption
Commission (ACC) to be swiftly concluded.
Nhlengethwa
said the ongoing talk of buying votes undermined the integrity of elections
‘and flies in the face of democratic governance.’
“Vote
buying undermines the integrity of elections. It embraces discrimination and
presents an unfair advantage to those who have integrity and will not buy
votes,” she said.
The matter has not been wrapped up yet and its conclusion is awaited.
The
Human Rights Commission comment comes after the election of 10 members of the
senate, which had been marred with allegations of vote buying that happened in
the extended first sitting of the House of Assembly.
Although
the first order paper of the 12th parliament on Friday October 6 stated that
the 69 members who were sworn-in were to elect 10 senate members as per the
Senate Elections Act, such an election was conducted a week later on Thursday
October 13.
In
the storm after it surfaced, Clerk to Parliament, Benedict Xaba, laid a
complaint with the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).
Xaba
said the senators-elect who allegedly bought votes could be removed through the
Parliament Petition Act No. 8 of 2013, a legislation which states that the
election or appointment of a candidate as a senator shall be declared void on a
number of grounds, which are proved to the satisfaction of the court.
Nhlengethwa
said the CHRPAI regarded parliament as one of the key pillars of integrity and
that the chambers ‘were expected to uphold the highest level of integrity,
justice and fairness.’
CHRPAI
agreed with Xaba on the allegations of violating the laws of elections in the
country.
“The electoral laws of the country make it illegal to buy votes, hence we
recommend that these allegations should be thoroughly investigated,” she said.
In
the election process, which some have recommended for a review or its
abolishment; the election and vote counting process as per the Senate Elections
Act of 2013, states that it begins with the distribution of the ballot papers
to all the 69 members of Parliament, 59 elected and 10 appointed, who all have
a right to vote.
Once
the legislators were handed the ballot papers with pictures of all the
candidates, they were granted time to return to their seats and thoroughly go
through the ballot papers to identify their preferred candidates.
The
MPs cast their votes based on preference, the original vote being the first
preference followed by the second, third, fourth and so forth for all the
nominees based on their choice.
They
then go to the voting stations individually to cast their votes and place the
ballot papers in the ballot boxes each for both categories.
During
the vote counting, the first preference votes are counted first and after the
counting is completed, all the first preference votes are counted at once in
order to calculate the quarter of votes required for winning the elections.
In
the contested voting, the MPs cast their votes to a total of 69 original votes
for both categories. This number was then divided by five, plus one meaning 69
original votes were decided by six.
This
figure equated to 11 and the formula then provided that one is added to the 11,
making the final quota of votes required to win for both categories as 12.
The
process required that the original votes for all candidates were first counted
to determine if any of them has met the quarter from the original votes.
Fezeka
Dlamini, for instance, had 14 preferred votes and automatically won a seat
under the female category as she had already amassed the required 12 original
votes.
50%
medication in hospitals
By
Sifiso Nhlabatsi, eSwatini Observer, 21 October 2023
Government has said hospitals have 50 per
cent medications as it admits that there is a health crisis.
There are low stock levels of drugs and commodities for effective health
service delivery as the Central Medical Stores (CMS) is only able to deliver an
estimated 50 per cent of the needed medicines per facility.
Government Spokesperson, Alpheous Nxumalo,
yesterday said there was a health crisis, which has seen major gaps in some
essential medicines, hence the request that there must be more funding for the
health sector.
Some of the gaps in the essential
medicines, according to Nxumalo, include family planning, malaria and
non-communicable diseases.
This has seen patients having to purchase
their own medication from privately owned pharmacies.
Nxumalo further said despite efforts to address the drugs shortage crisis,
there was still a long way to go as facilities continue to receive less than
required medicines.
He said health facilities could expect
more medicine supply towards the end of the year because the new tender for the
financial year started on October and the expected time of arrival of supplies
is late October/November.
The government mouthpiece said to redress
the situation, government would require an increased budget allocation to the
ministry of health and clear the arrears to allow the ministry to operate
within budget.
To read more of this repot, click
here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=21345
Govt acts swiftly to defuse graduation boycott threat
By Sabelo Ndzinisa, eSwatini News, 21 October
2023
MBABANE – Swift action.
The Government of Eswatini was
forced to act swiftly in mitigating a graduation boycott resolution taken by
the lecturers, following a salary payment dispute with management. The
lecturers had an urgent meeting yesterday morning where they took a resolution
to boycott the ceremony, after they were paid two-thirds (70 per cent) of their
salaries on Thursday. The graduation ceremony today, as per tradition, is
expected to be blessed by the presence of His Majesty King Mswati III.
When effecting the two-thirds
payment, the UNESWA management had indicated to the union representing the
lecturers that this was necessitated by a lack of sufficient funds in the
university coffers. These sentiments were confirmed by UNESWA Registrar Doctor
Salebona Simelane in an earlier interview with the Eswatini News, just a few
hours before management decided to pay the salaries in full. Sensing that
this boycott resolution was likely to throw the ceremony into disarray, the 30
per cent balance of the salaries was quickly credited to the lecturers’ bank
accounts yesterday afternoon at around 4pm. However, only lecturers using FNB
bank accounts received the balance of their salaries, while the rest are likely
to get their money on Monday at the latest.
To read more of
this report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/142323-govt-acts-swiftly-to-defuse-graduation-boycott-threat.html
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