MP MARWICK ADVISED NOT TO JOIN ‘SLEEPY’ SENATE

MAHLANYA – Motshane MP Robert Magongo yesterday pleaded with MP Marwick Khumalo to discard or ignore thoughts of retirement from politics.

Magongo also warned the Lobamba Lomdzala MP against entertaining ambitions of being a senator. He was speaking at Lobamba Lomdzala Inkhundla in Mahlanya yesterday, during a meeting to mark the official start of the constituency session for the 2023/2024 financial year. More than 500 people were in attendance, including Ndzingeni MP Lutfo Dlamini. The Motshane MP said Senate was a chamber where the lawmakers found space to ‘sleep’. “Kuyalalwa e Senate – they sleep in Senate,” he said, triggering an all round laughter. He urged him to consider the health effects of doing nothing in Senate. “There’s no one like you in the House and we still need your contributions and experience in articulating issues,” he said. He said Khumalo’s experience was still needed in the House of Assembly.

need of his services

He mentioned that the people from the communities under Lobamba Lomdzala were also in need of his services. He went on to say that the nation benefitted from contributions he was making in the elected House. Addressing the people, MP Khumalo said he had been approached by others from his former Inkhundla at Lobamba to return home to assist them develop the constituency. He asked the people who attended the meeting if he could take the offer from Lobamba and the people disapproved. There were some individuals from Lobamba who shouted in approval of Khumalo’s switch to his former Inkhundla. About 10 people who were given an opportunity to make submissions made it clear to their MP that there was no way he could either retire from politics or return to Lobamba. They said they would not allow him to go there. They were almost in tears begging him to stay put at Lobamba Lomdzala. The people here said Khumalo epitomised a rare political talent as he appealed to both the youth and elders.

Bhekiwe Bulunga said she obtained a Master’s Degree in Water Management, Engineering and Sanitation because of MP Khumalo’s input. She told the gathering that she got a scholarship through the efforts of the MP. Bulunga said she also got a decent job through help from the legislator. Another one they referred to as LaHoward received full scholarship through help from Khumalo to study medicine at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits). Khumalo explained that there was a time when he met her during suspension of lectures at the Wits University during the #FeesMustFall national student-led protest that began on October 12, 2015, to stop increases in student fees and push for increase in government funding of universities. Due to her brilliance and dedication to her studies, the Lobamba Lomdzala MP explained that LaHoward was exempted from writing examinations.

very proud of her

“I am very proud of her. She represents the inkhundla very well,” MP Khumalo said. She is now a doctor at the Mbabane Government Hospital. He also mentioned that there was also a brilliant woman, Nondumiso Thwala, who is currently in Botswana studying forensic science, a sophisticated course of highest degree of innovation. He said Thwala did an internship at the Royal Eswatini Police Service, where her quality was noticed. “Nondumiso is one of the people who can just use her skill to find someone who committed a crime and disappeared,” he said. He introduced Sphe Hlatshwayo who only obtained B in two subjects (Religious Education and SiSwati) and got As in all the other subjects. MP Khumalo said Hlatshwayo has also asked to study in Botswana because of frequent disruption of lectures in the country. The Lobamba Lomdzala MP was also hailed for his consistent lobbying for E80 million to construct a canal that is now helping Eswatini farmers in the Malkerns corridor.

distributed countrywide

The representative of the entity involved in the canal construction said water in Malkerns helped to ensure that seeds were produced and distributed countrywide. He credited the MP for this project, which is now benefitting the whole country. Khumalo thanked MP Lutfo Dlamini for playing a part in getting a scholarship for one of the above-mentioned graduates. He helped in securing the scholarship when he was the Minister of Labour and Social Security. In an interview, Khumalo said the political system of the country ensured that no one should be sure about his return to Parliament. “What if they don’t nominate me yet I had said I would stand for the election? Let the will of the people be done,” he said. MP Lutfo Dlamini praised the people from communities under Lobamba Lomdzala for electing a workaholic legislator in MP Khumalo. “I want to praise you for electing Khumalo,” he said. In another development, MP Khumalo reported back to his constituency that government was introducing scholarship loans to be processed by banks.

need of scholarship

He said emaSwati in need of scholarship would approach the banks for the loans, which could perhaps accrue an interest of five per cent if the debt is paid over a period of 20 years.
In case, the scholarship loan is settled within 10 years, he said the beneficiary could pay 80 per cent of the loan. Khumalo said government told them that it was being owed a lot of millions of Emalangeni in unpaid scholarship grants. He also talked about the deferment of the Marriages Bill. The MP said there were contentious clauses such as soliciting permission from the senior wife to establish a polygamous family. “If the first wife says ‘No’, you can’t have a second wife. We have deferred this Bill and we don’t know when they will bring it back to Parliament,” he said. He also talked about schools under his constituency, which received help from the inkhundla. He presented 300 dishes to the elderly people, 300 food hampers and clothes, mainly to the youth. Meanwhile, one senator, on condition of anonymity, said MP Magongo’s statement that they threw themselves into deep sleep in Senate was very unfortunate and should be withdrawn.

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