Times Of Swaziland: ‘Vote for Rodgers again’

‘Vote for Rodgers again’
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BY MFANUKHONA NKAMBULE  on 19/05/2013 01:55:00


MKHIWENI – Open campaigning for seats in the next Parliament was the order of
the day yesterday at the Mkhiweni Inkhundla.
Somntongo MP Doward Sihlongonyane told about 1 300 people to vote for Rodgers
Ma-mba again.
He said MP Mamba, who is also Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and
Development, deserved a second term because he was a workaholic who cared about
the welfare of his constituency.
Speaking at Mkhiweni Inkhundla where the minister donated 600 blankets valued at
over E50 000 to elderly people, the Somntongo MP did not use parables or words
with hidden meanings when he openly campaigned for the Tinkhundla Development
minister.
He called a spade a spade, even offering E500 to the person who nominated Mamba
for the political position and some gifts to the 15 people who seconded the
nomination in 2008. He wanted the nominator to stand up so that he or she could
go home with cash.
People took advantage of memory lapses as there was no one who remembered the
nominator. Several people stood up to claim that they nominated him for the
parliament seat but MP Sihlongonyane sensed foul play and advised that he would
give the money to the minister because he knew the nominator and seconders.
nt. The people of Somntongo gave me a second chance because I was learning a few
things in the first term. In the second term I delivered. Looking at the
connections and establishments MP Mamba has created, giving him a second chance
will be a huge benefit to this Inkhundla,” said the Somntongo MP.
A certain woman, in the midst of the crowd, kept praising God loudly, saying,
“Uyesabeka” ( God is great) while Rueben Nxumalo, Constituency Headman, wept
when he saw many people in attendance at the Elders Day hosted by the minister.
Meanwhile, MP Sihlongonyane also thanked the people of Mkhiweni for electing an
MP who had since established good relationships with the business community.
Business entities present during the function were Swaziland Royal Insurance
Corporation (SRIC); Prime Bakeries and a Durban based company, Darul Ihsan
Islamic Centre.  These companies were asked by Minister Mamba to make donations
of blankets as well. Others who donated but were not present were Metropolitan
Swaziland, Evergreen Stores and Tums General Suppliers.
The minister had also roped in crowd pullers like Senzo Malaza, the famous SBIS
talk show host, to direct proceedings while MP France Dlamini, a gospel singer,
assured residents that he would come back to the Inkhundla to sing for the
elders sometime next year. He did not sing yesterday.
Malaza entertained the throngs of people with jokes.
He said MP Mamba, a former SBIS disc jockey, reminded him of Ndzingeni MP Lutfo
Dlamini, the Minister of Labour and Social Security who oftentimes told his
constituency that he personally did not have money but was well connected with
money-makers.
“You can see for yourself that he has brought businesses to the Inkhundla to
assist you. He reminds me of the MP of Ndzingeni,” Malaza said.
Plenty of food was served to the elderly and there were a few young people in
attendance. The menu included rice; cooked and fried chicken, cooked and roasted
beef, three different types of salads and fruit juices.
In an interview, MP Sihlongonyane said he was aware that people would assume he
was campaigning for MP Mamba when he was only talking about facts of politics. 
He stood by what he said about the Mkhiweni MP.
Addressing his constituency, Minister Mamba said he hosted a similar function
when he came into office in 2008 and wished to wind up his parliamentary
business by once again thanking elderly people for the role they played in his
career. He said elders were very important and asked young people to take care
of their parents.
“If we, young people, take care of our parents, our children will also take
care of us,” he said.
He thanked all his sponsors for making the day a success.
He said SRIC donated 100 blankets valued at E10 000 while Metropolitan donated
85 blankets. The value for the blankets donated by Metropolitan was not
disclosed.
Prime Bakeries donated blankets with a value of E15 000 while its Cape Town
based subsidiary donated 250 blankets with a value of E25 000.
Tums General Suppliers donated 10 blankets (no value); MP Lutfo Dlamini gave
elders of Mkhiweni 100 blankets while a company called Evergreen donated food.
... former MP not pleased
MKHIWENI – Former Mkhiweni MP Maqhawe Mavuso says he will counter MP Ro-dgers
Mamba’s Elders Day celebration with a thanksgiving ceremony.
He hoped Prince Gija, the Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission
would not oppose his thanksgiving ceremony because he did not stop the function
hosted by his rival where campaigning was done openly.
Mavuso attended yesterday’s function to monitor the situation.
He did not join the people for lunch, saying he wanted to gather throngs of
people to celebrate and join him in thanking God for being the first MP of
Mkhiweni under the 1992 elections law.
He said it was the mercy of God that he survived for five years when his
predecessors passed away before they completed their term of office.
He paid tribute to those fallen heroes who included Ephraim Magagula and Lifa
Magagula.
Mavuso was very disappointed with illegal campaigning.
He said they had asked that campaigning should start before the primary
elections because serving MPs, in particular cabinet ministers, continued to
campaign before the primary elections.
He said it was obvious that yesterday’s function was a campaign strategy
devised to assist Mamba to win the forthcoming elections.
The former MP wondered why the function was held at the last year of the
five-year parliamentary term.
blankets
Meanwhile, Ntombifuthi Mkhabela, a representative of SRIC, said they donated
blankets valued at E10 000 after the minister had come to the company to ask for
assistance.
She said the blankets belonged to elderly people, not their grandchildren.
Prime Bakeries Representatives Simon Mavimbela, a director, said it was not the
first time his company visited Mkhiweni Inkhundla.
He said they responded to the minister’s call for assistance. He said the
company would also donate bread to the residents.
“The MP keeps on knocking at our doors for assistance and we felt we should
continue assisting him,” he said.
Darul Ihsan representatives Imran Vaid and Shafique Jakhura (priest) were also
happy to establish a relationship with Mkhiweni people.