Swazi Observer

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MPS AMBUSHED BY LOBBYISTS AT PARLY

By Sabelo Majola | 2018-10-12

Members of Parliament (MP) endured a moment of ambush from desperate lobbyists who camped at parliament yesterday to garner for votes from the newly-sworn legislators to win senate sits.

The lobbyists were armed with Curriculum Vitae’s and most of them waited at the entrance looking to ambuscade the MPs on arrival at parliament and forward their CV’s to them. Appointed and elected MPs were yesterday sworn-in and they took oath as official legislators, officiated by the Attorney General Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo in the House of Assembly.

Dressed in formal or traditional gear, most of the MPs arrived in sleek wheels while a minority drove ordinary cars.

Among the first to arrive was Sigwe MP and former Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs David ‘Cruiser’ Ngcamphalala who was driving a Toyota Hilux twin-cab. He jokingly told media personnel that he is driving a car he bought from his own pocket not the one given to him by government by virtue of being minister.

All former ministers came in their own cars including former minister of Agriculture Moses Vilakati who is Ntondozi MP and former minister of Commerce and Trade Jabulani ‘Buy Cash’ Mabuza who is Pigg’s Peak MP.

Prior to the swearing-in, the Attorney General had to remind MPs to choose between the oath and the affirmation not to mention both when taking the oath of allegiance. He reminded the MPs that this was allegiance to the King and the entire Eswatini nation.

“To those who will be elevated to higher positions, it is not about power or settling scores,” he said.

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