HOUSE SPEAKER EMPHASIZES NEED FOR STRONG PARLIAMENT, ASKS

UNCLAS MBABANE 000337 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR AF/S (MAYA HARRIS); DRL/AE (NICOLE WILETT); PRETORIA USAID FOR MONICA MOORE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR WZ SUBJECT: HOUSE SPEAKER EMPHASIZES NEED FOR STRONG PARLIAMENT, ASKS FOR HELP ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Speaker of the House of Assembly Prince Guduza Dlamini stressed the need for a strong parliament in Swaziland and asked for assistance in strengthening capacity for members of parliament and staff in a December 10 meeting with the Ambassador and PolOff. Prince Guduza, who also chairs the SADC Parliamentary Forum, thanked the Ambassador for previous U.S. training assistance for parliamentarians following the 2008 elections, and highlighted the progress parliamentarians have made in introducing private member's bills, as opposed to the current system of legislation originating from the ministries. The Speaker expressed concern over actions the previous Prime Minister and Attorney General took in derailing the "Parliament Services Commission" bill, which had passed during the previous session of Parliament but never made it King Mswati III for his signature or rejection. Guduza's efforts to create greater independence for Parliament have not endeared him to the current Prime Minister. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) On December 10, as part of a courtesy call by Ambassador Irving and PolOff, Speaker of the House of Assembly Prince Guduza Dlamini stressed the need for a strong parliament in Swaziland and asked for assistance in strengthening capacity for members of parliament and staff. He stated that Parliament in Swaziland needed to be a more proactive and assertive part of government. Lack of money and experience by current staff and MPs, the Speaker declared, remain stumbling blocks, and Parliament is forced to rely on the executive branch to fund training and new staff positions. The Prince thanked Ambassador Irving for previous U.S. training assistance provided by the National Democratic Institute following Swaziland's 2008 elections, and hoped to receive help in developing in-house legislative drafting capacity. Currently, legislation is drafted by the ministries with support by the Attorney General's office. ¶3. (U) Prince Guduza indicated that Parliament has made progress in supporting "private member bills," (bills introduced by individual members of parliament) and that a House of Assembly committee has introduced the first bill, the Food Security Act, that did not originate from a ministry. UNDP in Swaziland provided some support for parliamentarians in their efforts to develop private member bills, and helped fund initiatives surrounding the Food Security Act. ¶4. (U) Prince Guduza, who chairs the SADC Parliamentary Forum, also told the Ambassador that he was pushing for a greater role for the SADC Parliament within the overall SADC structure. ¶5. (U) The Speaker discussed his concern over actions the previous Prime Minister and Attorney General took derailing the "Parliament Services Commission" bill, introduced on May 30, 2008, which passed during the previous session of Parliament but never made it to King Mswati III for his signature or rejection. During the then Prime Minister's and cabinet's review of the legislation, the Prime Minister amended the bill. When the bill returned to Parliament, the committee responsible "recorrected" the bill, which Parliament subsequently passed. The Attorney General did not pass this final version on to the King, which would have provided Parliament greater control over legislation vis-a-vis the Prime Minister, before the parliament session ended. The Speaker stated he and others in Parliament are still considering whether to take the dispute to court. ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: Since his election as Speaker of the House, Prince Guduza has tried to exercise greater independence for the Parliament from the office of the Prime Minister, something which has not endeared him to the current Prime Minister. He indicated that the Prime Minister has been frustrated with a more experienced and educated Speaker and members of Parliament who are more assertive. Observers here tell Post that Guduza is the Prime Minister's equal before the King, and is not intimidated by the Prime Minister. END COMMENT. ¶6. (U) BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: Prince Guduza Dlamini was born July 7, 1959, is married, and is one of King Mswati III's half-brothers. He is the first royal to serve as Speaker of the House, and he served as Minister of Economic Planning and Development from 2001-2003, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy from 1998-2001, and Minister of Home Affairs in 1998. He received a BA in chemistry and economics at Indiana State University in 1988. IRVING