Uncertainty over repatriation allowance for ICT Minister
MBABANE – It is not yet known if newly-appointed Minister of Information, Communication and Technology Savannah Maziya will need repatriation assistance.
According to Circular No.2 of 2023, which dictates the terms and conditions of service for politicians of the 12th Parliament, there is a provision for the compensation of a person who is forced to come back home because he or she has been appointed by His Majesty King Mswati III.
While it has not yet been ascertained if she was completely based outside the country, it is a fact that the ICT minister, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bunengi Group, is involved in many projects around the world, including neighbouring South Africa.
Bunengi Group is a pan-African company with interests in mining, manufacturing, cement production, agriculture, women’s development and other sectors.
It should be noted that since being appointed as a senator, the minister has missed the two swearing-in ceremonies as she was said to be out of the country.
Meanwhile, in terms of the repatriation allowance, circular reads: “Where a member is a resident outside the Kingdom of Eswatini and employed in the foreign service has been appointed by His Majesty the King to serve as a parliamentarian or designated office bearer, such a member shall be entitled to full recovery of relocation costs of the member and his family back to the Kingdom of Eswatini by the most direct route. The member shall submit an invoice for reasonable relocation costs for the family to the prime minister (PM) who will review and sanction for payment by the Ministry of Finance”.
In the case of an employee of the Eswatini Government, resident outside the kingdom (similarly appointed) the circular stipulates that normal provisions governing civil servants’ relocation shall apply. These re-imbursements, the circular states, shall be in addition to the settling-in allowance.
An expert who is well-versed with the remuneration of politicians opined that the minister could be compensated only if she provided proof that her normal place of residence was outside Eswatini and that she was now compelled to relocate because of her appointment.
“What this means is that if she produces proof of transportation of personal goods back to Eswatini, she could claim for compensation. The PM and Finance minister can make a decision on it,” the expert said.
Maziya is not the only Cabinet minister who has had to return to the country due that they have joined politics. The other one is Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Bongani Ndzima, who used to work in Armenia and returned just before the primary elections. However, he told this publication that his case was different in that he returned because he was requested by the people of his constituency.
“As you are aware, I am an elected MP. It is the people who requested that I come home to serve them. I agreed to their request I felt it was an opportunity for me to help bring development in my community and help in dealing with issues such as poverty. Every time I returned from overseas, I was met with requests from community members to assist them as they were struggling. Mine is to help make their lives better,” Ndzima explained.