BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Eswatini has once again shone brightly today at the First Sitting of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) this year, as Mbabane East Member of Parliament (MP) Welcome Dlamini has been elected to an important position within the PAP ranks.
Dlamini was elected to be the Rapporteur of the Southern African Caucus of the PAP. Interestingly, the position occupied by Dlamini has been occupied by former Motshane MP Robert Magongo, who also represented Eswatini during his tenure as the PAP member. He was elected into that position unopposed by about 50 members of the Southern Caucus. Dlamini confirmed that he had been elected into that position unopposed.
Explaining how that happened, Dlamini said the Southern African Caucus had agreed that the position should be filled through election, instead of it being given back to Eswatini, as it had previously been held by Magongo.
“Members from two countries (Zimbabwe and Botswana) indicated that they wanted to make nominations. Zimbabwe went first and nominated me. Interestingly, the member from Botswana seconded the nomination and indicated that he also wanted to nominate me,” Dlamini said.
There was no further nomination and Dlamini was duly elected unopposed. Dlamini, speaking about the position, said it was a bigger one, as it meant that he had to run the Southern African Caucus, which was made out of 10 countries.
PAP has five regional caucuses, which were formed according to the five regions of the African continent. Apart from the Southern African Caucus, there are Northern, Western, Central, and Eastern African Caucuses.
All of them have their Chairpersons, Rapporteurs (Secretary Generals) and other members of the Caucuses. Dlamini is Rapporteur of the Southern African one, as his country, Eswatini, is one of the Southern African countries. Chairperson of the Southern African Caucus is Pemmy Majodina, a well-known South African politician, who is a member of the African National Congress (ANC). She is currently the Chief Whip of the ANC in the South African Parliament.
