PARLY PROJECT DOESN’T INCLUDE MPS’ HOUSES – CLERK TO PARLY

MBABANE – Clerk to Parliament Benedict Xaba has now come out to say that the proposed new Parliament building project does not include residential houses for parliamentarians.  

In a press statement released to this publication yesterday, Xaba said although when the project was initiated during the ninth Parliament, it was proposed that the structure should include a residential village, the housing project was never included in the project brief and the loan negotiation with the Export and Import Bank of India.

Publishing

However, in interview with our sister publication Times of Eswatini SUNDAY, prior to the publishing of the article, Xaba had confirmed the proposed village, stating that it was in phase two of the project. Xaba further went on to state why it was necessary for the parliamentarians to have houses built for them close to the Parliament building. The proposed village was also confirmed by the Chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Economic Planning and Development Mduduzi Magagula.

In his statement, Xaba said the background of the matter was that the Parliament of the Kingdom of Eswatini passed the Construction of  the New Parliament Act of 2020, which was approved for the country to borrow a sum of USD 108.28million from the Export and Import Bank of India to construct the new building. Subsequently, Xaba said the country through the Ministry of  Finance negotiated and signed a Line of Credit (LOC) agreement with the Exim Bank of India wherein loan conditions were detailed. “The loan agreement was signed in October 2021which was then to be followed by detailed designs of the project. The implementing ministry, which is that of Economic Planning and Development is in the process of getting the detailed architectural designs in line with the LOC agreement,” Xaba said.

He added that Parliament was sensitive to the needs of all emaSwati and remained committed to the development of the economy of the country, through executing its constitutional mandate of representation, legislation and oversight. He said it was envisaged that emaSwati would benefit through job creation in the construction phase, as well as employment opportunities upon completion of the project.

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