By Zweli Martin Dlamini

LOBAMBA: Honorable Macford Sibandze, the Manzini North Member of Parliament(MP) has warned government against resisting the ongoing calls for democratic reforms saying more Swazis want democracy. 

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, the MP said it was not only the youth who demanded democracy even senior citizens now wanted some changes with the way the country was  governed or ruled. He said nothing can be achieved socially and economically under the current political climate where the country seemed to be divided and called for an urgent referendum that would  determine what the people wanted. The MP wondered what was  preventing the government from engaging the people through a dialogue. 

“What is preventing us from engaging in the political engagements and a dialogue? We shouldn’t be afraid of a referendum to gauge ourselves. This will help us to understand the political climate and this is where we will engage in so many critical issues that include that of choosing the Prime Minister and the constitutional review”, said the Manzini North MP.

The Honorable MP who was addressing Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini through Speaker Petros Mavimbela said as a student of politics, he fully understood the importance of political engagements particularly in midst of the growing calls for democratic reforms including an elected Prime Minister. He said those who were calling for an elected Prime Minister must be engaged through a dialogue so that they could make a  presentation on how the election of the PM could be conducted.

“We have to address each other before the situation undresses us. Honorable Speaker change has come and if we don’t manage change, change will manage us”, he said