By Zweli Martin Dlamini

Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane, the Siphofaneni Member of Parliament(MP) has proven that his thinking capacity is far above the systematic political isolation of Parliament by government through media capture. 

Perhaps, let me clarify that we have many MPs in this Parliament who are more vocal on issues of public interest but the captured media is suppressing them by making sure their submissions do not reach the people. On the other hand, we have MPs in this country who are always in the media particularly the two captured newspapers not because they are the only ones who are vocal in Parliament but their ‘brown envelope’ relationship with the corrupt journalists is working to their advantage.

Now, for the first time in the history of politics in this country we have an MP who, seemingly, conducted research on how this political system collaborates with the captured media to make sure critical motions and Parliament submissions of public interest do not break the ceiling of that House to reach the public domain.

MP Simelane has demonstrated the highest level of political intelligence in that, under the current oppressive environment where the captured media sabotages MPs, he always make efforts to make sure his submissions reach the people who elected him to Parliament through digital media. 

This MP is fast becoming more popular such that he can stand for elections in any Constituency in this country and win, even under a democratic government, he will still be relevant because he addresses issues that affect the people.

It is important for MPs to protect the digital media on the grounds that the captured traditional media is fast losing popularity among the people because it disseminates highly censored information without taking into account the fact that people now have access to digital media, you cannot fool them anymore.

If MPs can investigate and obtain  electronic records of all the Parliament submissions made by the late Manzini North MP Jan Sithole in the interest of this country, that were subsequently sabotaged and prevented from reaching the public domain, they will understand the cruelty of the captured media and this political system that slowly destroy political careers of vocal MPs  by rendering them irrelevant in the eyes of the people through sabotage of their  submissions and motions.

We have MPs in this country who are equally capable like ‘Magawugawu’ but the media is sabotaging them, at the end they will lose elections because the people will conclude that they are doing nothing in Parliament.

It is therefore important for MPs to protect the digital media and kick out all Bills that seek to undermine access to information, no politician can survive without an independent media that strives to make sure all MPs are enjoying equal coverage when addressing issues of public interest.

MP ‘Magawugawu’ is speaking with confidence in Parliament because he understands that once you stand with the people, you will never go wrong, his Parliament submissions and motions are not only protecting the interests of the people but that of  investors as well. 

But then those MPs who decided to betray the people and side with this oppressive government on issues that suppress the people should be prepared to leave politics, as the independent media, we will make sure that by 2023 the people are well informed with regards to the role of an MP, it might be hard to bribe them with bread.

It is therefore important for MPs to understand that the people are following the events in Parliament with keen interest, those who decide to betray the people hoping to buy votes with bread should know that their political career is almost over, with the vibrancy of the digital media, the people are beginning to understand politics.

In conclusion, let me further mention that the banning of MPs from using the State owned media was a systematic political strategy to render the them useless, it remains enigmatic how Honorable MPs can be banned from using a State owned radio to communicate with the people who elected them to Parliament, what type of a political system is this?

This is clear evidence of media capture meant to create a wall between MPs and the people so that the citizens can remain ignorant with regards to what is being discussed in that Parliament. Under a free political environment, we should be listening to live Parliament debates not edited programs, that Honorable House is a public institution and everything discussed there is of public interest.