Times Of Swaziland: PPA CALLS FOR MPS’ RESIGNATION

PPA CALLS FOR MPS’ RESIGNATION
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BY SITHEMBILE HLATSHWAYO on 14/09/2021 09:06:00


MBABANE – Some liberation groups are calling for the current Legislature to
resign en masse.
This call was first made during the recent border blockades at the Oshoek,
Matsamo and Golela border gates last week and later confirmed by the parties.
The liberation groups are under the umbrella of the Political Party Assembly
(PPA). Those present during the blockade included the Congress Party of
Swaziland (CPO), Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), People’s United
Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) and Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA).
The Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini under Section 55, Subsection 98 (b),
allows the holder of the seat to resign in writing addressed to the clerk to
Parliament.
Important
The groups mentioned that it was important to lobby the Members of Parliament
(MPs) to start resigning en masse and leave the Legislature open, otherwise the
Parliament of the country under the current regime would be a target for
sabotage. The groups felt that there should be no conditions for any form of
elections under the Tinkhundla System in Eswatini, adding that they would ensure
that it did not happen. They mentioned that members of the Legislature who were
still serving the interests of the current government and being salaried were
part and parcel of the looters, hence they should be forced to resign. The
legislators were given two months to consider the resignation. They shared what
they termed tactics they would use to force the MPs to resign. These will not be
published for ethical reasons as they could be interpreted to incite violence.
The political formations made it known that they had not achieved the objective
they wanted to accomplish because of the existing Legislature, which was under
the current government.
Furthermore, they stated that there could be no formula of parliamentary route
to change the country as they would talk about principles in the process of the
legislative system that could help change the laws of the country. However, they
stated that it could all be wishes as the King was the super power of the
Legislature.  “Parliament is just a mimic. Tinkhundla system should just be
undermined, institutionally and otherwise,” they stated. If this is not done,
the groups stated that it would be difficult for them to mobilise solidarity
while they still kept a system in that fashion. The PPA representative,
Sibongile Mazibuko, stated that MPs were living a lie and stealing from the
public purse if they failed to carry out their mandate. TUCOSWA’s Acting
Secretary General (SG) Mduduzi Gina said as a way of showing solidarity with the
incarcerated MPs, their colleagues should resign. Gina said Parliament could be
a site of struggle as demonstrated by the arrested MPs for those who could be
able to push the agenda of political reforms for emaSwati inside Parliament.
Also, he stated that the Legislature should have to move a clear motion and call
upon the Executive to give them assurance that they would not be arrested for
having done what they were elected to do.