By Musa Mdluli

LOBAMBA:”Who are you to tell us how to debate inside this Parliament?”.

These were the sentiments of Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament(MP) who was addressing Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini on Thursday amid the ongoing ‘hot debate’ regarding Government’s delay to increase salaries for police officers, soldiers and Correctional Services officers under Phase two(2).

The PM had warned MPs against inciting police officers to rebel against Government by pushing the issue of their salary increment and this,did not go down well with the Lobamba Lomdzala MP.

The issue of Phase 2 seeking to increase salaries for police officers, soldiers and Correctional Services officers was raised by Mayiwane MP Sicelo ‘KhungaNkhosi’ Dlamini about two(2) weeks ago and, the motion was subsequently supported by the entire House of Assembly.

“In this Parliament we used to have a caucus that was meant to discuss sensitive issues privately but, that is no longer happening. Then you come here and tell us that we are inciting. Who are you to tell us how to speak in Parliament?”, said the Lobamba Lomdzala MP.

Eswatini police officers, soldiers and Correctional Services officers are financially struggling after over ten(10) years without a salary increment.

As a result, Government is already owing each junior police officers, soldier and Correctional Services officer who was employed before 2014, a back-pay amounting to close to one hundred thousand Rands(R100,000.00) in terms of a Gazetted Circular that was supposed to be implemented.