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MPS: NAME, SHAME PERPETRATORS

17/10/2023 09:03:00 Stanley Khumalo

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MANZINI – Some Members of Parliament (MPs) want those purportedly swindled by their colleagues in the Senate elections, to name and shame the perpetrators.

The legislators were interviewed following that since the Senate elections; the media has been awash with allegations being made by some of those who lost out in the race. Some of the people who fell through in their pursuit for political office, claimed that they parted with amounts ranging from E500 000 to over E1 million while lobbying. The election of 10 senators was subsequent to the MPs taking the oath of office and allegiance.

Integrity

The elections were held on October 14, 2023. This exercise has resulted in questions regarding the integrity of some of the legislators forming the electoral college. It was alleged that it was during this period that money exchanged hands the most as there were endless meetings attended by the legislators with the aspirant politicians. Subsequent to their crash in the Senate race, some of them are reportedly demanding their money back from some of the 12th Parliament politicians, whom they claim had taken it with the promise of offering them an original vote. The allegations insinuating that some legislators had made money out of a noble exercise have drawn the scorn of the public and also some players in the political landscape.

It has brought the question of integrity among those elected into the august House and in establishing if the MPs were aware of the said allegations of money exchanging hands for votes, some said the ‘corrupt’ should be named. Mbabane East Constituency MP Welcome Dlamini said the complainants should name those whom they gave their money to as at this instance, the image of all legislators was being affected. In fact, he said this was an argument he raised just before the Senate elections on October 14, 2023, inside the chamber. Welcome last Thursday said if any legislator had taken a nominees money, with the promise of an original vote, they should not include the other MPs in this. The Mbabane East MP said: “Nangabe udle imali yemuntfu wamtsembisa lo-one, ungasifaki tsine.”

His sentiments were also shared by Nkwene Constituency MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini. He said his conscience was clear on this and the people who were alleging to have been swindled should simply name and shame those whom they paid. The former police officer said there was a need for clarity though on how the money exchanged hands as there were various models. He made an example wherein a nominee would commit to support a legislator during their tenure in Parliament. This, he said, involved money even though it was not instant cash. He said with the commitment, the nominee would be committing to assisting with finances in the near future and he saw nothing wrong with that as politics involved money.

Exchanging

“We also campaigned with the promise of jobs and other opportunities, which indirectly involves money. So, with money exchanging hands directly, I’m not certain of that as those I know promised to support my projects during my tenure as an MP,” he said. Also, Thulani Nsingwane, who is Timphisini Constituency MP, said: “They should name those whom they gave money to, so that they pay them back.” Nsingwane said he only got to know of the allegations through the media. He said it was unfortunate that this had now come out with insinuations that most legislators benefitted from such. On the other hand, former Managing Editor (ME) of the Eswatini Financial Times, Alec Lushaba, advised those who were offered money to return it. Lushaba said: “Those who took the money know exactly where they got it and why it was offered to him. So, they should return it.” Also, Mafutseni Constituency MP Sabelo Mthethwa said: “They should name the people they offered money and state why they offered it.”

Meanwhile, Mayiwane Constituency MP Sicelo Dlamini said they were affected by the allegations in a way; however, he was not keen to involve himself in it. The former police officer requested not to pronounce whether the complainants should name and shame those who were supposedly offered money in favour of an original vote. He said: “I supported someone who lobbied through sharing ideas aligned to what I believe in and so, mine is to protect my own integrity.” It is worth noting that legislators are regarded as public officers and according to Section 30 of the Prevention of Corruption Act of 2006, a public officer who, whether in Swaziland (Eswatini) or elsewhere, solicits or accepts any advantage as an inducement to, or a reward for or otherwise on account of the public officer— (a) performing or forbearing to perform or having performed or forborne to perform any act as such public officer.

On the other hand, Section 21 Subsection 1 states that a person who, whether in Swaziland (Eswatini) or elsewhere, offers any advantage to any public officer as an inducement to, or a reward for, or otherwise on account of that public officer— (a) performing or forbearing to perform or having performed or forborne to perform any act as such public officer; The Act states that a person who is convicted of an offence referred to in Section 21 and or Section 30 shall be liable to a fine not exceeding E100 000 or imprisonment not exceeding ten years or to both. Meanwhile, this publication reported that some of the aspirant politicians who lost in the Senate race had been supposedly reimbursed by the legislators who had ‘breached’ their agreement of offering them an original vote in exchange of cash.