Times Of Swaziland: MPS WHO FAIL TO DECLARE ASSETS, LIABILITIES STAND TO LOSE POSITIONS

MPS WHO FAIL TO DECLARE ASSETS, LIABILITIES STAND TO LOSE POSITIONS
================================================================================
Nonduduzo Kunene on 11/10/2024 08:55:00


LOBAMBA – Members of Parliament (MPs) and public officers stand to lose their
positions if they fail to declare their assets and liabilities.
The Commission on Human Right and Public Administration/Integrity Deputy
Commissioner, Duduzile Nhlengetfwa, said there will be no mercy on those who
will deliberately not declare their assets and liabilities. The deputy
commissioner, in an interview in Parliament during the declaration exercise,
stated that in the past, they were lenient with public officers who are required
by the law to declare their assets and liabilities. She stated that they will
set a grace period by which all public officers are expected to have submitted
the required documentation for their assets and liabilities.
Nhlengetfwa said if the grace period passes without them honouring Section 241
of the Constitution, Section 242 will be applied. The section states that if an
officer who contravenes the code may, after due process of law, be dismissed or
removed from office by reasons of such breach or abuse and may be disqualified
from holding any public office either generally or for a specified period.
Subsection 2 states that any property or assets acquired after the initial
declaration under this chapter and which is not reasonably attributable to
income, government loan, inheritance or any other legitimate source, shall,
after due process of law, be forfeited to government. Yesterday, the Speaker of
the House of Assembly led by example and declared his assets and liabilities
before the Deputy Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Public
Administration/Integrity, Nhlengethwa.
requirement
He stated that it was not his first time declaring his assets before the
commission, as he constantly did it as per the requirement of the supreme law of
the country. The commission conducted a workshop on declaring their assets on
May 13, 2024 and left forms that guided the MPs on what is required of them.
During the exercise yesterday, it was mentioned that the Speaker was among the
public officers who religiously declared their assets and did not need to be
reminded of the obligation. In fact, he submitted all his assets and liabilities
that need to be declared prior to the commission to go through them and advise
where needed. At the time he arrived for the proclamation, he was only left to
sign and he took less than five minutes as his papers were in order. It is worth
mentioning that the Speaker’s file had a number of documents and it was bulky.
Mabuza urged public officers to declare their assets as it is required by the
Constitution. He said MPs should lead by example as legislators.“It is crucial
for us as parliamentarians to declare because it shows the commitment we have in
terms of accountability and transparency,” he said. Mabuza said those who were
unable to be part of the exercise yesterday, were welcome to visit the office of
the Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration/Integrity and conduct
the exercise there. Other MPs who were with the Speaker during the exercise are
Mangcongo MP Lomalanga Dlamini, Ludzeludze MP Nomkhosi Masuku, appointed MP
Chief Ngalonkhulu Mabuza, Ngudzeni MP Charles Ndlovu, Nkilongo MP Petros
Sibandze, Gege MP Magesi Dlamini and Phondo MP Bonginkosi Dube.