NKHANINI:Prince Mhlabuhlangene, the Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission(EBC) has apologized to the Nation for the delayed salaries for casual Clerks who were employed during the recent elections.
Responding to this Swaziland News on Tuesday afternoon when asked about the delayed payments,the EBC Chairman further mentioned that, the delay was also caused by the slow Government payment system.
But the Prince clarified that all the Regions have been paid except for the Hhohho region he then assured this publication that,payments will be released this week.
“I am the first to admit that this unfortunate delay should not have been so and appreciate lesive ekusibeketeleleni. We are hoping, that in the future and in-line with international best practice standards required for any efficiently run Elections Management Body to which EBC aspires, is to be given all the resources up front, and namely, all the budgeted and approved financial resources requested.Being granted this full financial resource independence is one of the key strategic objectives of EBC in our 5 year Strategic Plan 2022 - 2023 we now have in place.The ‘pay as you go’ scenario doesn’t work well for funding critical national processes like general elections and institutions such as EMBs like ourselves”, he said.
The Elections Commission Chairman said, as the Commission, they were hoping to secure financial resource independence with and from the government to enhance their overall operational efficiency.
“We trust to secure this financial resource independence with and from the government going forward to enhance our overall operational efficiency.This is done usually on the financial control measure of always there being a Special Audit immediately after the completion of any general election. In the ideal situation such financial obligation delays should not be the case as they then cast a bad shadow on the good work and commitment emaSwati have done in making the 2023 General Elections the great success they have been”, said the EBC Chairman.
Elections Commission Chairman Prince Mhlabuhlangene.