Times Of Swaziland: GELANE, ‘NGOMA’ BOUNCE BACK

GELANE, ‘NGOMA’ BOUNCE BACK
================================================================================
BY TIMOTHY SIMELANE     on 31/10/2013 02:37:00


LOBAMBA – The outcome of elections for Senate President and Deputy brought
about a sense of déjà vu as Gelane Zwane cruised unopposed to the throne
together with her former Deputy Ngomuyayona Gamedze.
This is the third term that the two have presided over Senate, having begun in
2006.
The election of the two will again go down in history books as a first for the
country to have, consecutively, both the Senate President and Deputy.
Zwane’s name was raised by Senator Princess Tsandzile, who was seconded by
Senator Edgar Hillary. All three were appointed by His Majesty King Mswati III
to Senate.
Clerk to Parliament Ndvuna Dlamini, who was chairing the proceedings, asked if
there was any other candidate but there was none, which put Zwane into the seat
of Presidency, unopposed.
She was then sworn in as Senate President.
The same procedure was used for the election of the Deputy President, whose name
was raised by Senator Meninjeni Mahlalela. He was seconded by Senator Bonsile
Mngomezulu.
Flowery words were used by Senators to describe the character and acumen of both
the President and her Deputy.
Princess Tsandzile said Zwane’s previous experience as President since 2006
and her background as a banker makes her an obvious choice for Presidency of
Senate.
“If one were to look into the qualifications stated in the Constitution, she
would still emerge as a qualifying candidate,” Princess Tsandzile said.
Senator Hillary said Zwane qualified 100 per cent to be President having steered
the House in previous times.
“She does not qualify 99 per cent but 100 per cent. I worked under her
leadership in the past and can bear testimony of her skills in leading the
House,” Hillary said.
The conditions in the Constitution emphasise on previous experience as a Senator
and a letter of consent from the candidate.
Both Zwane and Gamedze had letters of consent submitted by the Senators who
nominated them.
I talk too much  – Gelane confesses
LOBAMBA – Senate President Gelane Zwane has confessed that she talks too much.
Speaking shortly after her election, Zwane said she was grateful to His Majesty
the King for appointing her and further thanked the senators for electing her
President.
She then warned the senators that politics are a dirty game and that they must
prepare themselves for a very busy and emotionally taxing term.
“Mineke ngiyakhuluma! Angikhulumi ngingumhlolo.
“Kube ngaba ngumfundisi ngabe ngaba nelisontfo lelindlula I Jesus Calls,”
she said, meaning ‘I talk a lot. If I was a pastor I would have had a big
church, probably bigger than Jesus Calls.’
Bookish
Zwane urged senators to be bookish during their term, further advising them to
spare separate rooms in their homes for Parliament business.
“You must ask your mates at home to give you separate rooms which will be
dedicated strictly to Parliament business. You will be required to do a lot of
research in order to come up with motions and questions.
“Those who will be fortunate to go to Cabinet and form the executive
government should also know that they remain members of Senate. We will always
need their input on many issues that we deal, so they must not think they are
now detached from Senate,” Zwane said.