Concerned Citizens want proof of constitutionality

MBABANE – Chairman of the Concerned Citizens of Eswatini Jabulani Nxumalo says Members of Parliament (MPs) will have to prove that the envisaged mini dialogue is constitutional.

He said all dialoging individuals must also be in one mind frame on what they wanted to achieve for the dialogue to be successful. “There has to be a consensus, compromised position and negotiated settlement, where each one of us has given away the most precious sentiment that we are used to.

“The paramount is cessation of hostility and commitment to total, unconditional withdrawal of hostilities that may compromise the quality of the talks,” he said,

Nxumalo said the venue did not necessarily matter, as long as it was within the borders of the country.

“Some of us contributed quietly to have Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai come to the negotiation table. We told them you cannot bring a foreign solution to the crisis,” he said. Nxumalo said in negotiations, all parties must be heard as their grievances were important.

Asked if he would participate in the MPs’ mini dialogue, he said; “The idea is fine, as a nation, we grew up under principles of

dialogue and we are used to it.” Nxumalo said Eswatini was a democratic country with a functional Constitution. “The MPs will have to explain if the Constitution allows them to do what they want to do. They must show us, where in the Constitution do they derive the power to do that. “Parliament should not go according to emotions but must comply with the Constitution at all times.”

Direction

He said Section 79 of the Constitution gave direction on what Tinkhundla was all about, while Section 218 (2) stated that Tinkhundla was democratic and that it was the people who would determine how they wanted to govern themselves.

He also called a citizens education to empower the people on the ground. “They must not rush things but go to the Election and Boundaries Commission whose duty is to educate the public. The MPs did not get to Parliament on their own but through the Constitution. They cannot leave the EBC behind,” he said. He also said at the dialogues, there must be no other hidden fact, but honesty, so that the integrity of the discussions could be high.

“In 27 Demands we asked for an economic forum, then government said a forum would not be fruitful but a Ministry of Economic Planning and Development must be introduced. We welcomed that,” he said.