EBC’S TOUGH TIME IN MAFUTSENI

MAFUTSENI – The country’s dual system of governance is confusing and must be changed.

The electorate must have power to recall non-performing parliamentarians.
Who ensures that the Constitution is adhered to and respected?

These are some of the suggestions and questions posed by a gathering of over 100 potential voters who convened at the Mafutseni Royal Kraal yesterday.
This was during the civic education exercise conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC).

This is where participants engaged in an open debate on various political and developmental issues with EBC officials.
The country’s leadership structure is dual in that it combines both traditional and modern structures of governance.
Both structures have equal power.

Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini is the current head of the Executive arm of government, which usually takes instructions from the traditional structures.
The above issues transpired at a vibrant event that was attended by over 100 people yesterday. 

Ncumbi Maziya, Commissioner of the EBC and Elliot Mkhatshwa, a retired unionist and member of the Swazi Democratic Party (SWADEPA), were the centre of attraction as they tackled each other on various political issues.
This happened during the question-and-answer session that came after the EBC had delivered a session on how to choose and elect the right candidate.
Mkhatshwa, a member of the local community, was the first person to speak among residents, after EBC officers had completed the civic education exercise.

He asked the EBC team: “How will you ensure that women vote for other women in the elections? How will conflict in the dual system of governance be corrected?”
On the first one, Commissioner Maziya said the EBC’s civic education process, which would continue until elections in 2018, was themed at emphasising the importance of voting women to Parliament.

He said there was a Bill being piloted that would ensure that women got voted into Parliament, even in the event that at least 30 per cent of them were not elected from an election process.
He also said the problem of women not voting for each other was global and hoped that Swazis would eventually change and vote for women.

On the issue of the dual system, he said this was a constitutional issue that could be corrected through a constitutional process if Swazis decided that there was a need. Other speakers at the vibrant and well-attended meeting questioned the EBC on why it was impossible for the electorate to recall parliamentarians who fail to perform to expectations.

“This is folly because when they die, we go to the polls to elect another candidate but we have no control once we elect them into the House,” said one speaker.

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