COUNT SPECIAL VOTES ON SAME DAY - NOMINEES

MBABANE – “Count the special votes on the same day because they cost us the election.”

This was the common  view of a number of nominees who expressed their concerns about the ‘safety’ of the about 6 000 votes which are cast during the special Voting exercise expected to take place next week Tuesday (August 21, 2018).

The special voting that will take place at the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre is for officers who will be working during the elections, members of the security forces and those living outside the Kingdom of Eswatini, known to be in the diaspora.
Some inmates will also be allowed to vote. 

These concerns were raised by nominees from the Hhohho Region, who were gathered at the Mater Dolorosa School Hall yesterday morning during the sensitisation exercise for the thousands of nominees who wish to be part of the next government.

The exercise was conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) officers, who included Deputy Commissioner Pholile Dlamini, Commissioner Ncumbi Maziya, Head of Secretariat Richard Phungwayo and officer Mlamuli Shabangu. Over 800 nominees crammed the hall to hear what was expected of them.

Former Motshane Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Magongo, who is also contesting for the same position, was one of those who asked why the counting of the special votes was not conducted on the same day.                
Another nominee, Bhekisisa Bhembe, also asked the EBC where the votes would be kept until August 25, 2018 when the Primary Elections took place.

wondered

“Who will guard them until that date and how will we know how many correctional services officers, for example, voted?” wondered Bhembe.
He said they needed to know the number of the army, correctional and police personnel, including those who would be working during the elections.
EBC Commissioner Maziya, however, did not specifically respond to where the ballot papers from the special votes would be kept, although he assured that they would be safe.

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