JAN: STOP ELECTIONS PENDING MACFORD CASE

MBABANE  – Aspirant Manzini North MP Jan Sithole wants the EBC stopped from conducting the Secondary Elections and Special Voting in his constituency.

Sithole has since taken the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to court where he is seeking an order interdicting the commission from conducting the Special Voting scheduled to take place tomorrow and the Secondary Elections slatted for September 21, 2018.

He wants the court to interdict the EBC from proceeding with the aforementioned activities pending finalisation of the matter where Macford Sibandze’s eligibility to stand for elections under Makholweni Umphakatsi is being challenged.

According to Sithole, the application against Sibandze, which was still pending in court, was prejudicial to his (Sithole) right to a fair, free and democratic election in the Manzini North Inkhundla, where he and Sibandze are contesting.

“I respectfully aver that it is prejudicial to my rights to a free, fair and democratic election for EBC to continue with the process of Special Voting in the Manzini North Inkhundla, when one of the contestants’ involvement is being challenged,” argued Sithole.

He alleged that quite inevitably, the outcome of the challenge (court application against Sibandze) would have an effect on the electoral process in the Manzini North Inkhundla. “Without in any way prejudging the challenge, but assuming it is successful, it means that the Primary Election under the Makholweni Umphakatsi will be started afresh,” averred Sithole.

He argued that similarly, if the Special Voting was allowed to proceed as scheduled for the Manzini North Inkhundla and the challenge against Sibandze was successful, the entire process would have to be started afresh.
Sithole also claimed that there was a further difficulty in continuing with the elections, and this was whether while Sibandze’s matter was pending in court, should he (Sibandze) be or not be participating.

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