HHOHHO Regional Member of Parliament (MP) Tanele Magagula has painted a picture of growing frustration among regional women MPs while they execute their duties in Parliament.
She said many among them felt emotionally abused, threatened and undermined because the law did not define their position. This transpired as MPs called for urgent changes to the country’s election laws to remove what they described as unequal treatment in the electoral system and to clearly define the roles of the regional women MPs.
According to Magagula, some regional women MPs had been reminded that they did not belong to any constituency and were warned against making strong contributions in Parliament because they risked not being re-elected. She said such treatment discouraged free debate and affected their confidence.
“In some communication platforms used by MPs, we are called names and treated as though we belong nowhere,” she said.
Magagula said many regional women MPs entered politics with the same intention as constituency MPs and had also spent significant amounts of money campaigning. She rejected claims that regional women MPs attended constituency activities to compete with elected constituency MPs. Instead, she said they attended to support development in their communities.
Lubombo Regional MP Futhi Ngcamphalala shared similar concerns. She said being elected as a regional women MP did not remove her identity as a resident of her constituency. She said they should not be prohibited from participating in development activities in the areas they came from. However, she acknowledged that without clear legal guidance, their involvement was often interpreted as political competition.
Manzini Regional MP Thandeka Mavuso, on the other hand, said Parliament needed to clearly state what was expected from regional women MPs. She said they were often excluded from community assistance distributed through constituency structures, including food donations such as rice. Mavuso also urged constituency MPs not to feel threatened by regional women MPs.
‘We feel excluded, intimidated’
REGIONAL Women MPs used the debate on the proposed amendment of election laws to reveal the difficulties they face in carrying out their duties, saying the absence of clear legal responsibilities had left many feeling isolated and intimidated.
The MPs told Parliament that although they were elected to serve, they often found themselves without clearly defined responsibilities or recognised spaces to operate within their regions.
Hhohho Regional MP Tanele Magagula said they frequently faced hostility because some constituency MPs viewed them as future political rivals. She said they were regularly reminded that they did not have constituencies of their own and sometimes felt discouraged from speaking freely in Parliament.
Magagula said some women had been subjected to personal attacks in communication platforms used by MPs and were made to feel they did not belong. She said this affected their confidence and made them fear that speaking strongly on national issues could hurt their chances of returning to Parliament.
Lubombo Regional MP Futhi Ngcamphalala said regional women MPs were still citizens of the constituencies they came from and should not be prevented from taking part in community development activities. However, she said their involvement was often misunderstood because the law did not explain where their responsibilities began or ended.
Manzini Regional MP Thandeka Mavuso echoed the concerns, saying they were sometimes excluded from community programmes and donor-supported initiatives available to the constituency MPs. She urged Parliament to remove uncertainty by clearly defining their responsibilities and ensuring constituency MPs no longer viewed them as competitors.
Deputy Prime Minister Thuli Dladla supported the proposed legal review, adding that Parliament should also ensure the amended laws addressed discrimination affecting persons with disabilities. The motion, moved by Kubuta MP Masiphula Mamba, seeks to amend election laws to align them with Section 20 of the Constitution, while also providing clear roles and responsibilities for regional women MPs.
MPs seek clear roles, equal treatment for Regional Women MPs
MPs have called for urgent changes to the country’s election laws to remove what they described as unequal treatment in the electoral system and to clearly define the roles of the regional women MPs.
The calls were made during a debate on a motion moved by Kubuta MP Masiphula Mamba, who wants the minister of justice and constitutional affairs to table amendments to the Elections Act, 2013, the Election of Women Members of the House of Assembly Act, 2018 and related provisions in the Senate Elections Act, 2013.
The proposed amendments seek to align the laws with Section 20 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law and protection against discrimination. They also seek to define the responsibilities of regional women MPs.
Opening the debate, Mamba argued that there were inconsistencies in the country’s electoral system which amounted to discrimination. He said while women, who unsuccessfully contested constituency elections were still allowed to contest regional women MP elections, men, who lost elections, did not enjoy a similar opportunity to enter Parliament through the Senate.
Mamba also questioned the position of regional women MPs after their election, saying the law did not clearly state whose interests they represented. He noted that unlike constituency MPs, regional women MPs did not have designated constituencies or seats at constituency level despite receiving constituency allowances.
“As MPs, we expected them to represent our interests, but it is not clear whose interests they represent because the law does not define their role,” he said.
Seconding the motion, Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini reminded the House of a previous court ruling involving Lobamba MP Michael Masilela, who unsuccessfully attempted to enter the Senate after losing the 2018 general elections. He said the courts had ruled that a losing candidate could not have ‘a second bite at the cherry’.
Dlamini argued that Parliament should either extend the same opportunity to men or prevent women, who lost constituency elections from contesting regional women MP elections. He stressed that the debate was about equality before the law and not about opposing women.
He also highlighted the challenges faced by regional women MPs, saying they lacked clear duties and were excluded from some constituency resources, including donor-funded assistance.
“They have no clear job description, and in some cases their relationship with constituency MPs is strained because they are seen as future political competitors,” he said.
Regional women MPs supported the motion, saying the absence of defined responsibilities had created uncertainty and unnecessary tensions.
