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SET MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR MPS - RESIDENTS

By Wonderboy Dlamini | 2023-03-08

While most communities have called for underperforming Members of Parliament to be recalled, residents of Makhewu want minimum qualifications to be set for one to qualify to be a parliamentarian.

The residents were concerned that as the world advanced technologically, a number of parliamentarians found themselves being ineffective in carrying out their core mandate as they were unable to understand most pieces of legislation.

They said it was thus essential to view the role of empowering aspiring MPs in the broader context of parliamentary development.

The residents said setting minimum qualifications standards would strengthen the role that Parliament could play in the many governance issues.

The residents made their submissions during the civic voter education exercise carried out by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) in preparation for the elections this year.

This was at Makhewu under the Lugongolweni Inkhundla in the Lubombo region.

One of the residents who spoke passionately about this when making his submissions, Moses Gamedze, first acknowledged that some individuals were naturally born leaders who would bring development to a community when given a chance.

Gamedze, however, said government needed legislators who would not just act as development officers but be makers of sound laws that would sustain the country.

He noted that while some legislators actively participated in debates and other Parliament business, some appeared to be ‘quiet’ mostly because they did not know what to say in terms of making laws.

This he said was because they did not have an understanding of what would be happening.

Gamedze asked the EBC if it was still proper to vote for legislators who had no academic qualification, considering that technology also required a certain level of understanding.

Elections

Responding, EBC facilitator, Siboniso Nhleko, said the election laws allowed any citizen born in the country to stand for the elections, as long as he or she had not breached any of the laws.

Nhleko said for now, the level of education was not considered as an entry requirement but stated this could be something that Parliament would have to work on in the future.

Meanwhile, Nonhlanhla Mazibuko expressed a concern about candidates who would only surface during the elections time and attempt to ‘buy’ votes.

She noted that some residents spent most of their time at their various workplaces in the urban areas and only visit home on holidays.

Mazibuko said these individuals also rarely attended any community meetings. “I would like to advise my fellow residents against voting for people who only come home during the elections and brandish money to buy votes,” she said. Kaizer Mathonsi shared similar sentiments with Mazibuko, urging residents to make it a norm to attend community meetings at the umphakatsi.

Mathonsi said they were usually surprised to see people who did not partake in community issues contesting in the elections.

“Sometimes we see some people for the first time when they come to campaign at the umphakatsi during the guided campaign process,” he said.

On another note, the residents also asked for clarity from the EBC about the boundaries of Lugongolweni Inkhundla and Matsanjeni North Inkhundla.

The residents pointed out that there was usually confusion when it came to the community of Makhewu which, part of it, belonged to Maphungwane Umphakatsi under Matsanjeni North while another belonged to Ka-Langa Umphakatsi under Lugongolweni.

However, Nhleko highlighted that boundaries of constituencies were not necessarily aligned to those of imiphakatsi. He acknowledged that in some areas, constituency boundaries cut through imiphakatsi. Nonetheless, on this particular issue, Nhleko said the Maziya ruling household had already addressed the matter. He said the community of Makhewu was under Lugongolweni Inkhundla.

Yes, minimum qualifications needed but… - MPs

Some Members of Parliament acknowledged the need to set minimum qualifications in order for them to be fully effective in their work.

Gilgal MP, Sandla Fakudze, pointed out that most Parliament business required one to have some level of understanding, especially when it came to legislations.

“It is a fact that one struggles to be effective when he or she cannot understand and would need the assistance of a second person to understand deliberations,” said Fakudze.

However, he was quick to state that it would also be improper for the country to state minimum qualifications as this would be in breach of international laws and human rights.

In the same vein, MP Ndumiso Masimula of Lomahasha also acknowledged the need for minimum qualifications.

“It is true that one needs to have some understanding of what is happening around the world economically, for instance, so that he or she may be in a position to give clarification to the constituency when government faces challenges,” he said.

Masimula said even though this may have an element of discrimination, it was worth adopting if it was what the people want.

EBC Communications Officer, Mbonisi Bhembe, further highlighted that Eswatini was committed to uphold universal declarations of human rights, which state that no citizen shall be discriminated in the elections.

Affiliation

Bhembe said the country’s elections laws allowed any member of the society, regardless of his or her level of education or affiliation, to partake and be elected as a legislator. He said it was, however, in the hands of the electorate to vote for someone whom they believe would serve the needs of their community at that particular time.

“It is for this reason that we undertake the civic and voter education early so that the electorate may have time to decide what kind of a person they want to send to Parliament,” he said.

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