... E20 million for possible' elections

A by-election or bye-election (called special election in the United States) is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly-scheduled elections.

Usually this occurs when the incumbent has died or resigned, but it may also occur when the incumbent becomes ineligible to continue in office, for example because of a recall or a sufficiently serious criminal conviction.

Historically, members of some parliaments were required to seek re-election upon being appointed to a ministerial post. The subsequent by-elections were termed ministerial by-elections. This is no longer a common trend.

In Swaziland, a minister who is appointed into the Cabinet also retains the Member of Parliament (MP) position, even though paid only as a minister.

Majozi Sithole, Finance Minister, did not elaborate much on the allocation for by-elections.

Instead, he congratulated all the MPs he stood before, for having made it into the ninth Parliament ‘after all the hurdles and experiences’ of the recent national elections process.

"You are a product of our democratic election process," he told the MPs.

"My observation is that our elections are becoming tougher every year. It is a great honour once again for me to present to this Honourable House, the national budget for the year 2009/10."

He said it was a coincidence that he presented his ninth speech to the ninth Parliament of the Kingdom of Swaziland.

Sithole said it was an honour to be back as part of the Honourable House once again.

"When I declined to stand for elections, I thought I was saving myself from the trouble of possibly standing here and presenting the national budget during these difficult times," he said.

The Budget Estimates provide E19.9 million for the conducting of bye-elections, review and determination of Tinkhundla boundaries.

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