Some progressives endorse 2023 elections
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST: SWALIMO’s formation seems to have revived progressives’ appetite to participate in upcoming elections
SWADEPA founded by the late Jan Sithole, also took a resolution to stand for elections, with the ambition to bring change ‘from within’. SWADEPA Secretary General said the movement would finalise their 2023 National Elections participation plan in their forthcoming National Conference at the end of the year.
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M%A%ANE ± It will be survival of the fittest in the upcoming 2023 National Elections.
In almost 50 years, the country has not seen the participation of political parties and movements in the national elections process. Political parties were banned from participating in national elections in 1973 when King Sobhuza II pronounced the now famous 1973 Decree during a Sibaya session at Ludzidzini after a Parliament resolution. The formation of a new political movement, Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO), which has openly campaigned for their member, Nomalunge LaZwide Simelane, in the recent Siphofaneni by-elections, seems to have revived the appetite for progressives to participate in the upcoming election.
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LaZwide eventually won the by-elections which were instituted to replace her husband, Mduduzi ‘Gawuzela’ Simelane, who is also the President of SWALIMO as a Member of Parliament (MP) of the constituency (Siphofaneni).
The Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA), founded by the late Jan Sithole, also took a resolution to stand for the elections, with the ambition to bring change ‘from within’. However, only Sithole was known to have won the elections and served in Parliament between 2013 and 2018.
When called for a comment, SWADEPA Secretary General (SG) Mbongeni Shabangu said the movement would finalise their 2023 National Elections participation plan in their forthcoming national conference at the end of the year.
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Sive Siyinqaba, through a statement issued by its Chairman Musa Nkambule, called for an amendment in the election laws to accommodate political parties in the 2023 National Election process.
Sive Siyinqaba has also had a fair share of its membership participating in the national elections in the past, including Nkambule, current Acting Chairman Ngomyayona Gamedze, who was voted by members of the House of Assembly into Senate. Vocal Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo is also an open member of Sive Siyinqaba.
Though the party was not opposed to its membership’s participation in the elections, it remained silent in their campaign process. SWALIMO, on the other hand, was vocal and participated openly in LaZwide’s campaign ahead of the by-election.
“As a Movement we would like to recommend as we have always done before, that government facilitate the registration of political parties and amend the election law to allow a political party system to coexist with our current individual-merit based system, which we can call independent candidates.
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“This would allow the electorate a choice between an individual merit candidate and a political party-backed candidate.Government should allow for political parties to field candidates or independent candidates during the 2023 national elections. We propose that the 2023 national elections be held under this new dispensation. The new elections law must also provide for a continuous transformational improvement of the governance system,” reads the statement.
Inhlava Party Chairman Mfomfo Nkambule said, though they do not support the Tinkhundla System of Government, they would not stop their members from participating, whether through voting or being voted for.
“First and foremost the Inhlava political party upholds the UN Human Rights Charter and as such respects the decision of those who will participate in the 2023 general elections. Under the tinkhundla set up, it is impossible for a political party to field a candidate because it is unheard of to have political parties participate in an election where they cannot change policies of a government. However, if there is a candidate who thinks well beyond the vision and boundaries of tinkhundla, yes I can vote. I have not made up my mind yet on whether I will personally stand for the election or not,” said Nkambule.
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The elections are expected to be held in less than a year’s time, if all goes according to the constitutional schedule which has been adhered to in previous years.
SWALIMO SG Dr Siphetfo Dlamini said, as an organisation they were still calling for the collapse of the current governance system and an amendment of the constitution. However, Dlamini revealed that they were aware of a possibility that the system might still be alive in 2023; hence they have made a provision of electing their members in the 59 tinkhundla centres.
“We are serious and deliberate when we say we want to collapse the system. If our external attempts fail and by 2023 the system is still standing, then we will collapse it inside. It will die like a poisoned man. We will take over the House of Assembly, just as we have already started by putting LaZwide in that revolutionary seat. The plan is simple, once we are inside, we will influence the election of Senate members and from there we will move a motion to amend the Constitution, so that political parties are unbanned in the country. We take care of the order of business in Parliament like no other. We are deliberate and resolute about this. We cannot be apologetic about it,” he said.
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Dlamini said they were excited and looking forward to other political organisation to join the bandwagon.
Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) Communication Officer Mbonisi Bhembe, interviewed at the close of the voting process in Siphofaneni, said the Commission would only oppose elements that were not constitutional and were against the election laws.
“We call upon all people to exercise their constitutional right to elect a person of their choice to represent them. We have a set standard which is supported by the Constitution of the country on how the election process goes. We are anticipating a free and fair election process even in 2023; an election that will be guided by the laws of the land as stipulated,” he said.