Big Bend: As calls for democracy intensifies, the youth from Nkilongo Constituency are lobbying to march to the Inkhundla offices on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, to deliver a petition mandating its Member of Parliament (MP) Timothy Myeni to move a motion in parliament that will usher the country into a new democratic dispensation.
In an audio clip that surfaced from the Swaziland News Facebook page on Wednesday, Myeni was on record saying he would support calls for democracy if that’s what the people wanted.
The MP said he currently supports the Tinkhundla system of governance because that is how the country is governed, but if the people were to demand political parties or democratic reforms, he would surely stand with the masses.
“I am supporting the Tinkhundla system because it’s the current Government but in the event the people demand political parties, I will surely stand with the people,” said the Nkilongo MP.
“In the current situation where the country is ruled by the Tinkhundla system, it is better for me to support it, not that I do not want democracy that the people are fighting for.”
“I am in full support of the democracy but unfortunately, we are currently under this Tinkhundla system of Governance and if you don’t support it, you are in trouble,” he said.
The MP emphasized that he was not against multi-party democracy but clarified that he was currently under the Tinkhundla system of Governance. “If the Nation is saying no, let us change to another system, who am I to resist when the people talk?” he said in the audio.
On contrary, Myeni told the August House that he is in full support of the Tinkhundla System and he was loyal to the King and government. Myeni made his submissions in Parliament on Tuesday when the house was sitting for the statement of the Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku when updating the august house on issues of national interest that have arisen over the past two weeks.
Sanele Ndwandwe, who was speaking on behalf of the youth, said they will deliver the petition to their MP on Tuesday demanding democracy including an elected Prime Minister.
Ndwandwe said after hearing the political views of Myeni where he said he would support democracy if it is what the people wanted, they decided to organize themselves and deliver a petition to him on Tuesday.
“We are demanding democracy but most importantly, we want an elected Prime Minister who will understand and address our needs,” he said.
Reached for comment the Nkilongo Member of Parliament (MP) Timothy Myeni , declined to give a comment, saying he only read about the proposed march on social media. He then dropped the phone call.
