IF WE DON’T ELECT WOMEN, WHO WILL? - INKHOSIKATI

MBABANE – “If we do not elect women, who will and where will the King find them.” These were the words of Her Royal Highness Inkhosikati LaMatsebula, who was addressing stakeholders during a luncheon organised by the Swaziland Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS (SWABCHA) in Ezulwini yesterday.

Inkhosikati LaMatsebula stressed her point that it remained a mystery where the King would find women to appoint if people did not vote for them.
“Iyacala Inkhosi iyababeka, ey nenkhosi isibekele bomake labatilima (Once the King appoints them, (people) then say he appointed foolish women),” the Inkhosikati said.
Inkhosikati LaMatsebula wondered why such people did not vote for women instead of voting for those they knew.

The  Inkhosikati was concerned that the percentage of women was more than that of men and said it puzzled her how more men were voted into Parliament. She suspected that women were letting each other down by opting to vote for men instead of othe women. She said this was regardless of that some of the women were evidently capable of doing the job.
Inkhosikati LaMatsebula encouraged women to vote for other women.

Also encouraging voting for women was appointed Member of Parliament Thuli Dladla, who said women were gifted. Dladla said those who said women were incapable of holding legislative positions, feared them. She explained that this was because women were unique and able to multitask.

Dladla argued that the excuse that women could not be ideal legislators because they had to cook for their husbands and also take care of their children did not hold water, because women were capable of doing all of this simultaneously.

Last week, there was a showdown in Parliament after Mbabane West MP Johane Shongwe appeared to be suggesting that women should get permission from their husbands before they could stand for the national elections. This was during the adoption of the report of the portfolio committee of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs on the Election of Women Members to the House of Assembly Bill, No.2 of 2017.
Shongwe reportedly stated that while he was in favour of adopting the report and passing the Bill, he had an issue with the fact that some of the women who would be nominated would be wives.

“Nangincoma lomfati wemuntfu ngitatsi ngimtsatsephi, ngivunyelwe ngubani,” he said, which means, “If I nominate someone’s wife, who will I say gave me the permission.”
MP Dladla, who was said to have not taken kindly of Shongwe’s remarks, reportedly stood up on a point of order calling for the MP to withdraw his statement.
Dladla asked Shongwe if the women he had earlier said nominated him, had sought permission from their husbands.

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