FORMER SFTU AND NAWUSHI PRESIDENT SAM SHONGWE VYING FOR NTONDOZI M.P. POSITION

Pictured Above: Samuel Lumanyoka Shongwe, former NAWUSHI President and the current MP candidate for Ntondozi Constituency.

Former Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) and the National Workers Union in Swaziland Higher Institutions (NAWUSHI) president Samuel Shongwe (popularly known as Lumanyoka) recently won primary elections at his home area of kaNdinda to become a candidate for Member of Parliament (MP) in the upcoming secondary elections for Ntondozi Inkhundla in the Manzini region.

Shongwe beat two other candidates one of whom was the outgoing Minister of Tourism and former Ntondozi MP Moses Vilakati and one Lucky Matsenjwa. Reports suggest that Shongwe received 684 votes while Vilakati came second with 498 votes and Lucky Matsenjwa received 146 votes out of the votes cast both on the 26th August and the special voting that had been carried out on Thursday the 24th August 2023 in Manzini.

Speaking to the ELI Shongwe expressed appreciation to the people of kaNdinda and Makhungutja for supporting his candidacy for the MP position. Shongwe further expressed confidence that his track record in sports which he believes has kept young people active as well as his well known development agenda will resonate with the electorate, "My decades long record in community development, in sports as well in fighting for better working conditions for workers in trade union is well known and hopefully the voters will also appreciate this experience and hand me the mandate to be their MP".

Worth noting is the fact that there are several former and current trade union leaders such as the former Secretary General of the Workers in Swaziland Town Councils (WUSTC) Nhlanhla Simelane who is contesting under Mafutseni Constituency. Other current and former leaders such as Swaziland Financial Institutions and Allied Workers (SUFIAW) Jabulile Shiba (Manzini North), former Swaziland Water Services an Allied Workers Union Treasurer Joseph Sibandze (Mbabane East) lost during the primary stage in August.

Final elections for MPs shall take place on the 29th September 2023.

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