BY SETHABILE MYENI
MBABANE – Clerk to Parliament Bennedict Xaba, says he is impressed by how the elections for Speaker and Deputy Speaker went last Friday.
69 members of parliament cast their vote on Friday after being sworn in the House of Assembly. Piggs Peak Member of Parliament Jabulani Buy Cash Mabuza won the election by 41 votes beating Mhlangatane MP Madala Mhlanga who got 28 votes.
“The legislators had the freedom to vote for their preferred candidate without being influenced or having someone appointed on their behalf”, he said during EBIS program letishisako this morning.
Xaba said the fairness in elections will promote peace and unity in the House of assembly.
Xaba stated that he was hoping the same would happen in the next elections for The Senate which are to be held after His Majesty King endorses the newly elected Speaker Jabulani ‘Buy cash’ Mabuza and that every group would be represented including the youth and women.
He also addressed the rumours that some Members of Parliament were trying to buy their way into The Senate.
“The House of Assembly is full of people of integrity and I refuse to believe that someone can be bought or buy to be voted into The Senate. If anything of such takes place, the individuals directly involved have the right to report that to the Anti-corruption Commission Board”, he said. He further encouraged women to take part in elections more often in order to achieve the 30 percent sits occupied by women in parliament.
