Times Of Swaziland: Mana calls for fresh nominations

Mana calls for fresh nominations
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BY TIMOTHY SIMELANE on 08/08/2013 01:36:00


ELUSABENI – The teenager who was disqualified from the parliamentary
nomina-tions because of her dress code wants nominations to start afresh at
Lusabeni Royal Kraal.
Mana Rebecca Mavimbela said she felt cheated as she had done nothing wrong to
deserve the treatment she was subjected to by a presiding officer in her local
royal kraal.
The 18-year-old Mavimbela had her nomination turned down because she was wearing
trousers, a forbidden dress code for women in traditionally motivated conclaves.
In an interview yesterday she said her assessment was that in her area, the
nominations were not free nor fair.
“The nominations were not held within the royal kraal which is why I saw
nothing wrong in wearing trousers. I know the traditional statutes that forbid
women from wearing trousers in royal kraals and I respect such laws. But in my
case the elections were held in a school. Wearing trousers in this area is not
uncommon as women wear them all the time.”
Mavimbela said it was for this reason that she felt the process should start all
over again so that she can also be accommodated.
She said if the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) insists that her
nomination was wrong because she was not supposed to be there, then the merits
of her case must be viewed in a manner with those of the candidate she
nominated?
“I nominated Jabulani Buthelezi without any objection from the presiding
officer. I even went upfront to register my nomination for Jabulani. Mind you, I
was wearing the same trouser all the time. “When I am nominated, suddenly the
presiding officer puts the issue of my dress code to doubt. She asked me if I
accepted the nomination and I responded to the affirmative. Instead of accepting
me, she then turned to the crowd and asked if I should be allowed because of my
dress code? As far as I am concerned a dress code was not one of the
prerequisites for participating in the nominations.”
Mavimbela said the conduct of the presiding officer meant that she should not
have been allowed entry into the school.
“The implication is that Jabulani was nominated by a disqualified person.”
She said it was her humble plea that the nominations be started afresh so they
would be considered free and fair.
Responding to questions about her decision to wear trousers, Mavimbela said she
had nothing else to wear on the fateful day.
“My skirt was wet as I had just washed it and while I waited for it to dry on
the line, we got word that the headman was now angry at the poor attendance and
wanted us to hurry to the arena for the process to begin.”
Mum approved dress code
ELUSABENI – Mana Mavimbela was allowed by her mother to attend the nominations
process while wearing a pair of trousers.
Norah Mamba said she saw nothing wrong with trousers because many other girls
were wearing them in the area.
“It is only now that this is a controversial issue that I realise I made a
mistake. The reason I saw nothing wrong was that the nominations were being held
at a school and not the royal kraal. She said she had not bought the pair of
trousers for her daughter but that she was presented with them by a cousin.
“She does some self help projects herself to generate money and she buys the
trousers. There is no way I can stop my children from wearing trousers.”
Meanwhile, Mavimbela acknowledged that Chief Mshikashika Ngcamphalala had barred
the wearing of trousers in the area. She however, said she did not expect to be
the first casualty of such a law, as most girls commonly wear trousers in the
area.
... familiy lives in abject poverty
ELUSABENI – The family of the girl who has been denied the right to stand for
parlia-mentary elections lives in abject poverty at Elusabeni.
Mana Mavimbela’s family is headed by her mother Norah Mamba. Mamba has six
children all unemployed.
At 18, her daily routine revolves around making fat cakes and selling them to
pupils at school.
She said if nothing comes to her rescue, she sees her future doomed.
Despite her situation, she said her vision was not just centred on herself but
she had the passion to work for her underdeveloped community.
“The main reason I wanted to go to parliament was to be a catalyst for
development here.”
Besides having to support her family, she also has a task to care for her
disabled aunt who has no children of her own. She recounts how she was
heartbroken to learn of a neighbour’s plight: ”There is an elderly woman
here who is blind. She stays with a boy less than 10-years old who cooks and
washes for her. I want to help this family substantially but I have no means. I
only help them with menial chores,” she said.
initiatives
Mana Mavimbela says her idea of being a parliamentarian is that she has to
broker developmental initiatives in her home area, including making available
clean water and electricity.
“As an MP I have to care for the orphans and the poor in the area.”
And what about the task that lies in the chambers of parliament?
She responds: “An MP is to convey what the people have told him to the King
and to others in authority.”