WERE SOME MPS PAID TO SPARK UNREST? - MP MABHANISI

LOBAMBA - Who got the money?

There was drama in the House of Assembly yesterday as Members of Parliament (MPs) demanded that a list of those who allegedly benefitted financially from foreign agencies amid the political unrest should be revealed. This was after Kwaluseni MP Mabhanisi Dlamini had made a submission that as the country was trying to deal with the political unrest, there was a need for MPs to do an introspection. Even though the MP did not share details of who exactly allegedly gave some of his colleagues money, the issue seemingly stirred the hornet’s nest as there was mumbling inside the House.

It should be noted that there have been circulating claims that some MPs were benefitting financially to push a political agenda. At some point, there were claims that some MPs were promised millions if they masterminded the termination of diplomatic ties between Eswatini and The Republic of China (Taiwan). Also, there have been claims that there are various factions that have been paid to push the struggle for change in the country. Dlamini said the MPs were the reason why the country found itself in the situation it was in. In fact, MP Mabhanisi stated that the MPs had actually misled the nation.

Withdraw

After his submission, Motshane MP Robert Magongo stood up on a point of order and asked the Kwaluseni MP to withdraw his submission. “He must not say that we misled the nation. He must count us out. This thing is a thorn of an issue,” said Magongo and had his colleagues laughing at how he phrased his statement.
Again, the Kwaluseni MP continued with his submission, saying the unrest started inside the House. “We did not tell the citizens out there that there were proper procedures they had to follow in order to achieve the change they want. We made it sound like change could be achieved overnight yet we know that the Constitution details all the steps that need to be followed,” said the MP.

He said the police and the citizens were fighting because the MPs did not tell them the correct procedures. At that point, Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick, who had moved a motion calling for police brutality to be condemned, stood up and submitted that there was an issue with the submission made by the Kwaluseni MP.
MP Khumalo said he did not want to associate himself with the assertion made by the Kwaluseni MP and advised that he should express an opinion about himself instead of involving the rest of the MPs.

Nkilongo MP Timothy Myeni also stood up to submit that the statement that MPs had caused the chaos should be withdrawn. At that point, some of the MPs burst into laughter as MP Myeni had earlier refused to withdraw a statement he had made. More MPs stood up to request that their colleague from Kwaluseni should withdraw the statement as they said it put them in a bad light as they were debating a serious issue of implicated police brutality. In response, the MP said he did not say that the MPs caused the police to shoot unarmed civillians, but that he called for them to advise the people to follow the right steps in their aspirations to achieve change.

After saying that, he posed a question to the MPs on whether they were clean themselves. “Kute yini timali letishintje tandla la?” he asked in vernacular which means, “Has there not been any exchange of cash here?” At that point, Manzini South MP Thandi Nxumalo said she was concerned that the MP had involved all of them instead of using the word ‘some’. Ndzingeni MP Lutfo Dlamini also stood up on a point of order, saying he was disturbed by the submission.
“If there is an allegation that some of us were paid some money, we will start giving each other strange looks. This cannot just be a blanket statement, let us not ignore it,” submitted the Ndzingeni MP.

Speaker Petros Mavimbela intervened by asking the Kwaluseni MP to withdraw the statement for the sake of progress. This was after some of the MPs said their colleague should reveal the list of the MPs who had allegedly benefitted financially. The Speaker said he should just withdraw so that the issue of the list could not drag on. Sithobelweni MP Bhekitje Dlamini, speaking in jest said: “Sesivele sibhocekile” which means: “We have already been implicated”. MP Mabhanisi withdrew the statement and the Speaker insisted that the proceedings should continue. However, there was mumbling among the MPs. When given the chance to continue with his submission, the Kwaluseni MP made reference to a statement earlier made by another MP, to the effect that the legislators were now divided and made of groups which had different views.

Importance

He said it was, therefore, of paramount importance that they did an introspection and checked if they themselves were clean. “Kuko konkhe loku lokwentekako laveni, asitihlole kutsi sihlobe kangangani,” he said in vernacular which means, “In all that is happening in the country, we need to check if our hands are clean”.
Lomahasha MP Ndumiso Masimula also made a submission where he raised that the MPs were debating a sensitive issue. He then posed a question on why the list of MPs who had allegedly benefitted financially to push a certain agenda was not revealed. “Ifihlwe lani le list ngoba tintfo letinjena ngito letibanga kungevani?” he asked in vernacular.

At that point, MP Mabhanisi stood up and spoke in jest, saying he was surprised that another MP was given a chance to raise the issue yet he was ordered to withdraw it. After that, Masimula then said he was withdrawing the submission on the list, but still wanted the House to be furnished with the names of MPs who allegedly benefitted financially.

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