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“I think the membership will agree with us that if there is no specific clause that precludes the member from standing for the elections, then we cannot stop him. The position of the Board is that the member will stand for the elections. We cannot stop him from doing so and we cannot start discussing because I will find myself discrediting this one or that one. Any of the Board members can stand for the elections,” Mthethwa said.
Eswatini Rugby Union Secretary General (SG) Bonginkosi Dlamini alleged that the Board membership was one-sided following the president’s persistence of allowing Electoral Officer in Advocate Musa Sibandze to share his legal opinion, despite another learned friend having quoted the piece of legislation that the Board was contravening by allowing Maphanga to stand for the elections yet he was still holding the position of a Board member and acting vice president.
“Mr president, I would request that you conduct this meeting and its proceeding under the guidance of the general assembly and if not, our presence here is pointless. I heard you say you picked someone from one position to another because they were available for the job and never notified the members or seek approval. We have tabled our opinions in alignment with the Constitution, but you insist that the member continues to stand for the elections. In all that, the element of dictatorship still pops up and we will not accept that as a general assembly. It’s best that we pack our bags and leave you and your Board to do as you please,” Dlamini said.
Argument
The president told the meeting that their argument was not expressly stated in the Constitution except that the house was trying to interpret clauses to suit certain opinions. He insisted that the Board’s opinion was legally informed but that did not sit down well with the general assembly.
Former EOCGA President Zombodze Magagula, who was honoured with the position of honorary member on the day, highlighted that the decision to seek a legal opinion by the Board was correct, but it was subject to the general assembly. Magagula quoted Article 29.1.10 of the Constitution which reads; “The president has authoritative and final ruling on procedures of the meeting and the authoritative interpretation of this meeting subject to the final decision of the General Assembly.”
Honorary member Maswazi Shongwe cautioned the members and called for calm, saying; “It is important that when you correct someone, take heed that you don’t let your tongue slip because now it’s like there are personal threats or attacks,” Shongwe said.
Seven hours later, AE President Zakhele Dlamini was announced the winner of the vice president race, beating the remaining contestant Gideon Mthembu by 24 votes to 12. In closing, the president thanked all the members’ participation and took their advice as a learning curve that would help him and his Board in making better informed decisions going forward.