By Zweli Martin Dlamini

LOBAMBA: There was a deep moment of silence in Parliament on Friday as powerful Hosea Member of Parliament(MP) Mduduzi ‘Bacede’ Mabuza addressed MPs, urging them to take the lead in the process of removing the Tinkhundla government from power and usher the country into a new democratic dispensation.

This was during the debate of a motion by Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo who successfully moved that Cabinet be compelled to reverse the extension of the partial lockdown, MP Mabuza accused the government of extending the lockdown to make sure the people were poor so they can continue respecting one man who oppresses the Nation.

Eswatini, a tiny Kingdom situated in Southern African and ruled by King Mswati, an absolute Monarch has about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, political parties are banned from participating in elections.

“Some Swazis were financially stable but unfortunately, when the COVID-19 erupted, those in power saw an opportunity to use this pandemic to oppress them so they can lose everything, be poor and be submissive to the oppressor. I am uttering these words Mr Speaker because, as mentioned before, I am no longer afraid of anything in this world” ,he said.

The Hosea MP urged MPs to stand firmly against the oppressor saying they were elected because the people had trust on them. He said even those who owned businesses would not survive if the people were oppressed because they expected the very same people who were pushed into poverty by the government to support them. He said MPs must not look elsewhere for solutions to the problems affecting the country but as people who were elected and entrusted by the people to represent them, they must take lead and liberate the Nation. When motivating his statements on democratic reforms, the Hosea MP said was happy to see a  leader of ruling party in another country  sitting in the round-table with other leaders of political parties consulting on national issues before taking a decision.

After the debate of the motion by Marwick Khumalo, Members of Parliament subsequently walked out as a demonstration that they were not prepared to debate the budget until Cabinet reverses the decision to extend the partial lockdown.