By Zweli Martin Dlamini

LOBAMBA: “Allow the Honourable Member from Manzini North to speak without any interruption so that we can hear what he wants to say”.

These were the sentiments of Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament(MP) Marwick Khumalo when bringing Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg to order, after the capitalist tried to block MP Macford Sibandze from speaking about issues surrounding the political dialogue.

The capitalist with business links to King Mswati tried to block the MP immediately after hearing that he was about to speak about a political dialogue.

The Finance Minister challenged the Manzini North MP to quote the Privileges Act he was referring to.

“If there is something that is touching on our privileges,the Privileges Act.The Honourable MP,can he please show us the privilege in the Act of Privileges where his point is referring to?,”said the Finance Minister.

But Marwick Khumalo, the Lobamba Lomdzala MP interjected and asked the Finance Minister to sit down, relax and allow the Manzini North MP to speak without being interrupted.

“Honourable Speaker,we request the Minister to just sit down so that we can hear what the MP wants to say. Besingacela kutsi, nangabe Indvuna yona seyimvile kutsi utsini uMhlonishwa imane iphumule, ihlale phansi nje.Tsine sisengakamuva kutsi utsini, ucondzephi. So the Minister must not deprive us the opportunity of getting to hear what the Honourable Member is saying,” said the Lobamba Lomdzala MP.

When making his submissions,Manzini North MP Macford Sibandze urged Parliament to stand-up and address the current political crisis.

“I am urging Parliament to stand-up and address the current political situation.There’s a serious danger if we, as Parliament representing the people avoid to address these issues as if it’s business as usual. Even if there was no Standing Order for this,as MPs we were supposed to address this issue because we are not robots,we are human beings witnessing what is happening,”said the Manzini North MP.

After the submissions by the Manzini North MP, the House of Assembly held a caucus where it was resolved that the MPs would start engagements with the pro-democracy movement to find possible ways of resolving the political crisis.

A caucus is a private meeting for Members of Parliament(MPs) where matters of public interest are discussed outside the public domain.