I AM NOT AFTER SPEAKER’S CHAIR - WINNIE MAGAGULA

MBABANE – Former minister of Labour and Social Security Winnie Magagula has dispelled rumours that there was an intention to install her as the next Speaker of the House of Assembly.

This comes after rumours have been spreading on social media to the effect that one of the forgotten political parties in the country was set for a rebirth and had planned to push for Magagula to be the next Speaker.
Magagula is believed to be linked with the party that was established in the early 2000.

Leadership

Even though the party cannot be named as its executive or leadership cannot be reached for comment, it has been alleged that there was a meeting being planned to discuss its way forward and how it could contrive in the new Parliament.

In a message circulated on social media platform WhatsApp to various cellphone users, it was alleged that the new MPs-elect had been invited to the proposed meeting and that they were to be mobilised to elect the former minister for the position.

When Magagula was first contacted on the matter, she made it clear that she did not know what this reporter was talking about, but after it was explained to her she requested to be given time, saying she had not seen the social media posts.
Yesterday, she released a statement where she explained she had been informed of the social media post but said she was not part of the so-called plan.

Gratitude

“I have heard that I am touted as one of the candidates for the position of Speaker. However, I have not been formally consulted on the matter, let alone canvassed. Nevertheless, I would like to convey my gratitude to those colleagues who have had me in mind,” she said.
She went on and stated that in the last 10 years she had become accustomed to the culture of ‘kutfunywa’, from which she said she felt humbled, honoured and indebted.

“As things stand right now, I am not in the race for the position of Speaker,” reads part of the brief statement.
With the 59 MPs having already been elected, a lot of people still have hope that they would make it to Parliament as His Majesty King Mswati III is yet to announce his own appointments.

There are also women who participated in the elections, but were not successful who are hoping to get a second chance following the invoking of the Election of Women Members into the House of Assembly Act, 2018.

However, the highly contested for seats are for Senate.
The only way through which Magagula can make it to the 11th Parliament, House of Assembly, is by appointment by His Majesty the King.

Alleged

It has been alleged that former parliamentarians and ministers were leading the pack in the list of those who were lobbying for Senate seats.
According to some of the newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs), behind- the- scenes lobbying by the Senate hopefuls reportedly began intensifying immediately after the Primary Elections.

The list of those nursing hopes of going into Senate comprises former ministers and parliamentarians who lost their bid to Parliament through the ballot, according to interviewed parliamentarians.

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