Home | News | PM, SPEAKER, GELANE UNSUALLY FRIENDLY AHEAD OF PARLY OPENING

PM, SPEAKER, GELANE UNSUALLY FRIENDLY AHEAD OF PARLY OPENING

03/02/2017 03:35:00 BY SIBONGILE SUKATI

Font size:

HAPPY PEOPLE: Parliament leadership posing for a picture. The PM is flanked by Senate President Gelane Zwane (2nd L)and her Deputy Ngomuyayona Gamedze (L) and on his right is Speaker Themba Msibi and Esther Dlamini, the Deputy Speaker.

LOBAMBA – If the positive energy between the Prime Minister (PM), Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini and Presiding Officers yesterday is contagious, then the Fourth Session of the 10th Parliament will be a peaceful one.

The PM, the Senate President Gelane Zwane and Speaker Themba Msibi were all smiles and unusually friendly towards each other yesterday as they toured the Parliament premises on a final inspection in readiness for the State Opening today.

The trio, who were joined by Clerk to Parliament Ndvuna Dlamini and Deputy Presiding Officers Ngomuyayona Gamedze and Esther Dlamini, first toured the marquee where the luncheon will be served. The PM also later confirmed that he had a good meeting with the presiding officers in Parliament as there was no tension. “I am looking forward to a successful State Opening,” said Dlamini.

During a press briefing yesterday, the PM said he was also looking forward to the address that would be made by His Majesty King Mswati III this morning.
“When the King speaks, everyone ,including Cabinet and parliamentarians and the entire nation has to listen and take the directive from him,” he said.
He said he was earnestly praying for a successful opening. He said today not only Swazis would be listening to the King, but the world at large.
“Roles will be changed tomorrow (today) as we will all listen to what the King will be saying,” said Dlamini.
Last year there was great tension between the presiding officers and the PM following the appointment of members of the Parliamentary Service Board (PSB) and, as a result, they did not participate in the Parliament opening planning sessions.