MBABANE – Minister for Public Service Mabulala Maseko has urged emaSwati to register to vote in their home chiefdoms to promote community development.
Maseko, who is also the Maphalaleni Member of Parliament, warned that electing leaders they did not know could undermine the development of their communities and the country at large.
He said voters should not be persuaded or influenced into registering and voting in constituencies where they did not belong, as this could result in communities electing representatives who might not understand their needs and challenges.
He said this could later lead to complaints about poor representation in Parliament, roads that were not properly maintained or up to standard and inadequate health facilities, among other service delivery concerns.
The minister made the call yesterday at the Ministry of Public Service offices in Mbabane, where close to 50 ministry staff members registered to vote during an exercise conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC).
The exercise forms part of an ongoing nationwide initiative aimed at strengthening the electoral system and encouraging civic participation ahead of the 2028 National Elections.
Maseko commended the EBC for bringing voter registration services closer to public servants and other communities across the country. He said the commission had consistently emphasised the importance of registering and voting in one’s designated constituency, a message he reiterated during the exercise.
He stressed that emaSwati should participate in the electoral process truthfully and honestly by registering in the constituencies where they genuinely belonged, rather than allowing themselves to be influenced into voting elsewhere.
Maseko said participating in elections was an important responsibility for every liSwati, adding that citizens should not distance themselves from the country’s development when they had an opportunity to influence its direction through the ballot.
He said elections provided an opportunity for emaSwati to contribute to building their country by choosing leaders who understood their communities and were familiar with the challenges facing residents.
The minister emphasised that voters should register in their home chiefdoms so that communities could elect representatives who understood their circumstances and could effectively represent their interests.
He explained that voting for leaders they did not know could result in communities electing representatives who might not fully appreciate the needs of the people they were expected to serve.
Maseko said this could ultimately affect development, as residents might later become dissatisfied with their representatives’ performance and the delivery of essential services.
Demonstrating his message, Maseko said he had registered to vote at Maphalaleni, where he was a resident and had a home. He said he intended to continue voting in the constituency, as he had always done.
He recalled that the people of Maphalaleni had placed their trust in him in 2013 when they elected him as their Member of Parliament. He said he remained committed to the community that had given him the opportunity to serve in Parliament.
The minister’s participation in the registration exercise was also intended to encourage public servants to lead by example by taking part in the electoral process and recognising the importance of civic responsibility.
He said he considered it important not to register alone, but to involve ministry staff members in the exercise, giving them an opportunity to participate as the country prepares for the next national elections.
Close to 50 employees took part in the registration exercise, demonstrating their interest in participating in the electoral process.
The EBC, working with different institutions and communities across the country, continues to encourage eligible citizens to register to vote as part of preparations for the 2028 National Elections.
The initiative seeks to promote participation in the electoral process and ensure that emaSwati are prepared to exercise their right to vote when the country goes to the polls.
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