Police called after suspicious campaign by aspiring MPs

Police officers from Fairview Police Post questioning Sushi Foundation volunteers in Manzini yesterday. (Pics: Linda Jele)

MANZINI – In the height of mushrooming gatherings as the Primary Elections draw closer, the police were called in Manzini after suspicions that aspiring Members of Parliament were campaigning.

Residents called the police to attend a donation function where it was alleged that aspiring MPs would donate to residents in exchange of votes.
Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Wendy Hleta has said the police have been receiving numerous reports from anonymous people reporting gatherings in their communities, which they suspect are campaign strategies by nominees.
A recent event were police were called took place at KaKhoza location in Manzini where a South African-based charity organisation Sushi Foundation was donating rice to the residents.

About 100 residents had gathered at a local church to receive the gifts from the organisation’s volunteers. However, they were later joined by police from Fairview Police Post who had reportedly been notified that one of the nominees was campaigning.
Hleta confirmed receipt of the report and said police went to investigate, only to find that it was a charity event that did not have anything to do with campaigning.

“People should not chase away donors under the guise that their work is campaigning for the elections. We have just passed the winter season now and many people are hungry and need food donations,” Hleta said.  This publication received a tip-off that one of the aspiring members of Parliament from the area had graced the occasion.

However, on arrival, he was not there. There were only two nominees found watching the proceedings, and they are aspirant Constituency Headman and Constituency Development Officer. The police questioned them briefly, but left them on the scene. Hleta said police, as per their mandate, acted on reports by people, but warned the nation that the police service should not be used to scare away donors. 
She further warned the nominees against hosting campaign events before the official date for such has arrived. The official campaigning date, as announced by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), is August 25, 2013, after the Primary Elections.

“We have not yet recorded any report that there has been someone campaigning. However, if the police find that some individual  has been campaigning, we would report that to the EBC for action and that may ruin an aspirant’s hopes of winning the elections, if found guilty,” the police mouthpiece said.

Meanwhile, the Sushi Foundation continued with donations of rice at Sicelwini, Nkamanzi Chiefdom and others areas.

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