PARLY SPENDS OVER E0.5M ON EXTERNAL TRIPS

 MBABANE – One of government’s priorities is to reduce external travel, however, this seems not to be the case in Parliament. 
In the last three months, over 10 trips have been undertaken by some parliamentarians, including staff members.

According to Parliament’s first quarter performance report (April – June) to date, a total expenditure incurred amounted to E577 552 with a variance of E609 398.00 which was inclusive of committed funds for the payment of return air tickets resulting from external travel.  

  
The bulk of the money went to parliamentarians who are members of the Pan African Parliament where Clerk to Parliament Ndvuna Dlamini reported that he needed about E500 000 just for the members of PAP.

That was the amount budgeted for the five PAP members (parliamentarians),  who were elected to represent the Parliament of Eswatini in the 2nd Ordinary Session of the 5th Parliament of PAP from May 2 to 18, 2019 in Midrand, Republic of South Africa. 
During the session, Eswatini was able to take an Oath of office into the Pan-African Parliament.

The members of PAP are Motshane MP Robert Magongo, Manzini South MP Thandi Nxumalo and Mhlume MP Victor Malambe. 

 
Travelled

The rest of the members who travelled in May were Senator Sylvia Mthethwa and the late Senator Mike Temple.
More money for external travel will be spent this week as there is a PAP sitting of Permanent Committees from August 2 to 10, 2019 in Midrand.
Meanwhile, Senator Mthethwa will be travelling to Cape Verde, which is where the Health Committee is meeting.

The report states that the PAP members would be expected to attend seminars, committee meetings and ordinary sessions of the PAP during the reporting period.

Committee

MP Magongo is a member of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline while MP Malambe is the member of the Committee on Rural  Economy, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment. MP Nxumalo  is the member of the Committee on Transport, Industry, Communication, Energy and Technology.

The late Senator Temple was a member of the committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs
 The Eswatini Parliament established its Pan-African Parliament Committee in the year 2004. There are five parliamentarians who represent the Parliament of the Kingdom of Eswatini in Midrand, South Africa when there is a session. The Pan-African Parliamentarians represent all the people of Africa.

“The ultimate aim of the Pan African Parliament is to evolve into an institution with full legislative powers, whose members are elected by universal adult suffrage,” reads the report.

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