BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
MBABANE – Parliament has significantly strengthened transparency and public access to its work through the expanded use of its new broadcasting studio, enabling emaSwati to follow parliamentary proceedings and activities more closely during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.
According to Parliament’s First Quarter Performance Report, the enhanced use of live broadcasts has become one of the institution’s major achievements as it seeks to improve accountability, citizen participation and public understanding of the legislative process.
The report states that Parliament increased its visibility both locally and internationally by optimising the use of the new Parliament studio, allowing more parliamentary proceedings and activities to be broadcast to the public.
The initiative forms part of Parliament’s broader strategy to strengthen its constitutional mandate of representation, legislation and oversight while promoting good governance and service delivery.
Parliament also intensified its “Taking Parliament to the People” programme, with Sithobelweni Inkhundla hosting one of the flagship outreach engagements during the reporting period. The programme created a platform for residents to engage directly with Members of Parliament, raise development concerns and contribute to discussions on issues affecting their communities.
According to the report, the initiative demonstrates Parliament’s commitment to ensuring that it remains accessible to ordinary citizens rather than being viewed as a distant institution. The outreach programme also supports His Majesty King Mswati III’s vision of people-centred development by bringing governance closer to communities.
Beyond domestic engagement, Parliament continued to strengthen its international profile through active participation in regional and global parliamentary bodies, including the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the SADC Parliamentary Forum, the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the African Parliamentarians’ Network on Development Evaluation (APNODE).
The report notes that Eswatini parliamentarians have secured influential leadership positions within several of these organisations, enhancing the country’s standing in international parliamentary diplomacy while creating opportunities to exchange best practices on governance and legislation.
Institutional capacity building also featured prominently during the quarter. Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff participated in workshops, benchmarking visits and specialised training aimed at strengthening oversight, legislative drafting and parliamentary diplomacy.
The Parliamentary Service continued providing legal and procedural support to both the House of Assembly and Senate by assisting with the drafting and scrutiny of Bills, motions, parliamentary questions and subordinate legislation. Parliament also worked closely with the Attorney General’s Office and government ministries to ensure legislation complies with the Constitution and established legal standards.
Committees remained central to Parliament’s oversight responsibilities by conducting investigations, public hearings and oversight visits while producing reports containing recommendations aimed at improving accountability across government.
Looking ahead, Parliament plans to build on these achievements by strengthening committee oversight, expanding stakeholder engagement, enhancing digital technologies and records management systems, and continuing participation in regional and international parliamentary forums.
The report concludes that despite resource and staffing challenges, Parliament remains committed to improving transparency, strengthening democratic governance and delivering effective legislative services to emaSwati.
#ParliamentEswatini #Transparency #LiveBroadcast #GoodGovernance #CitizenEngagement #TakingParliamentToThePeople #Accountability #Legislation #Oversight #Eswatini
Post Views: 121
