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