Swazi Observer

FULL STORY

SENATE PRESIDENT TO BE ELECTED TODAY

By Mbono Mdluli | 2018-10-23

Senators meet this afternoon in Parliament to be sworn-in and elect a president who will lead Senate business.

This was revealed yesterday by Clerk to Parliament Ndvuna Dlamini at Royal Swazi Convention Centre in Ezulwini during the orientation workshop for Senators.

Meeting time is 2:30pm.

The election of Senate president is in accordance with Section 100 (1) of the Constitution. Section 100 (1) says, “When the Senate first meets after any general election, and before it proceeds to despatch any other business, it shall elect, from within the Senate or outside the Senate, a person to be the President of the Senate in accordance with the Standing Orders.”

The election of the president is also in accordance with the Senate Standing Orders of 2007. Standing Order 8 (1) states that a senator will address a clerk to Parliament and propose a person to be elected as a senate president. That person, according to the Standing Order, should be present within the senate or precincts of Senate. The Senator should also be seconded by another for the presidency.

According to Standing Order 8 (2), the person to be elected as president should be someone who is willing to take the position of presidency. This means the Senator moving a motion for the person to be elected president should produce proof to show that the candidate has agreed to be president.

If a person to be elected president is not opposed, as stated in Standing Order 9, that person should be declared elected as the leader of the upper chamber.

Outcome

If more than one person is interested in being president, the senators will determine the outcome by voting through secret ballot.

When there is a tie, a second ballot shall be conducted, but shall be restricted to the two candidates who obtained the highest or equal number of votes at the first ballot.

Dlamini stated that after being elected, the president will have to be introduced to His Majesty King Mswati III to get blessings.

Dlamini said Senate would have to be adjourned today so that the president would be taken to the King to be introduced.

He said Standing Order 10 and 11 have to be amended to accommodate the fact that the King had to give blessings to the president.

share story