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ELECT MORE WOMEN IN 2018 ELECTIONS – PM

23/07/2016 10:53:00 BY SIBONGILE SUKATI

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MBABANE – The nation needs to ensure that it elects more women into Parliament during the 2018 National Elections. This was said by the Prime Minister, Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini on Thursday upon his return from the African Union Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda.

The premier who represented His Majesty King Mswati III, said Swaziland had fared short as compared to other countries because of the number of women in Parliament. Only the Deputy Speaker who is Mbabane East MP Esther Dlamini was elected into Parliament during the 2013 national elections.

The PM said the theme for the 27th AU Summit was Human Rights with a particular focus on the Rights of Women. “Although there are a number of women in high ranking or leadership positions in the country as you can see here, there are, however, very few in Parliament.”

The three other women in the House of Assembly namely MP Thuli Dladla, Pastor Lindiwe Dlamini and Princess Ncengencenge were appointed by His Majesty King Mswati. The PM said he hoped that by 2018 there would be a significant difference in the number of women in Parliament. Dlamini also highlighted that one of the agenda’s at the summit was the election of a new Chairperson of the AU and commissioners, but the elections were postponed to next year as the nominees failed to achieve the two thirds majority vote needed to take over the chairmanship of the AU.

“Although the elections were held about six times, there was a stalemate as all the candidates failed to win two thirds majority as stated in the AU’s constitution and as a result, they will be held again in January 2017.” He also highlighted that the African leaders also discussed the issue that the AU could not support itself as it was highlighted that the countries could only afford 25 per cent of the budget and the rest of the money came from countries outside the continent.

Dlamini said the leaders agreed that this was not an ideal position and as a result, they resolved that perhaps a percentage (0.2) of certain goods that cross borders should be collected in order to boost the coffers of the AU instead of the money being allocated by Parliament. Further, the premier said issues of conflict were discussed and fortunately none of the countries experiencing civil conflict were in the SADC region.