EBC officials caught up in Mpolonjeni Umphakatsi
MPOLONJENI – Officials from the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) were yesterday caught in the midst of the Mpolonjeni Umphakatsi chieftaincy dispute.
The EBC is currently engaged in the civic and voter education exercise in readiness for the upcoming national elections. On Tuesday, two announcements were made to invite the electorate of Mpolonjeni Chiefdom to convene at the two ‘imiphakatsi’ for the voter education exercise by both Indvuna Mgumlane *amedze and the Dvuba clan in the other faction. The Mpolonjeni Umphakatsi saw a turnout of over 250 electorate attending the exercise at the umphakatsi hall, while at the other faction of the chiefdom, a tent was pitched in preparation for the same exercise and slightly over 30 people were found seated under the tent.
At the umphakatsi hall, Mpolonjeni Member of 3arliament M3 -acob Siwela and Bucopho Amos Maziya were part of the proceedings, while at the pitched tent at the other chiefdom, indvuna *amedze was also found seated with the slightly over 30 electorate, waiting for the EBC officials.
About 10 women were found preparing food, though the EBC officials did of their term in office now to engage in campaigning exercises with food parcels rice donated by the Taiwan Embassy. They asked the EBC to do something not make a stop after conducting the exercise at the umphakatsi hall.
The indvuna then dispersed the electorate. However, the EBC exercise continued without disturbances at the chiefdom’s hall, with over 20 police officers from the Criminal Investigations Department CID and Operational Support Services 8nit OSS8 present to monitor the situation.
Exercise
EBC Lubombo Elections Officer Sibnoniso Nhleko welcomed the electorate and acknowledged their impressive turn-out to participate in the voter educational exercise. Nhleko further reminded them that the exercise was primarily about educating the electorate about the importance of participating in the upcoming elections, emphasising the about this, as they felt it was offside.
Sibusiso Dlamini first highlighted that he was aware that campaigning was only permitted in the secondary elections. He need for registering to vote.
He told the electorate that the commission’s mandate was to promote fairness and impartiality during the elections.
“ *amedze said he did as per the instructions and they further called him on Saturday to inform him that the commission would be bringing food, so