Parliament is a legislative branch of government, therefore, the role of a Member of Parliament (MP) is to represent his/her constituents, including those who did not vote for them or did not vote at all.
As is the case with every Legislature, Parliament is one institution where the needs and interests of citizens are expressed and addressed through constructive debate on public policies that affect the every day lives of the constituents. It provides a unique opportunity for the voices of all emaSwati, particularly those most affected by government policies, to be heard in the policymaking process since Parliament is one of the supreme arms of government that makes and scraps off laws. Parliamentarians are, therefore, key to reinforcing democratic processes via the noble Tinkhundla System and making public policies effective.
It is very important for voters to critically analyse those who are going to represent them in Parliament for the next five years. They have to be people of good standing in society, those who respect laws, who are of financial literacy and understand policy issues. Parliamentarians are expected to fulfill three main functions:
* Represent citizens; bringing their needs, goals, problems, and concerns to the policymaking process;
* Make laws that govern the nation;
* And exercising oversight, ensuring that legislation and government policies are implemented effectively, according to the original intent, and within the parameters of the rule of law.
However, competing demands can make an MP’s life and work a perpetual balancing act of trying to reconcile demands from one’s personal interests, from the Executive branch agencies, from constituents and family. MPs are never off duty as they are either visiting their constituencies, participating in committee meetings or plenary debates in the parliamentary building, or traveling abroad to represent Parliament and the country. MPs should regard themselves as representatives of the people and must desist from any conduct which they seek improperly to enrich themselves or alienate themselves from the people they claim to represent. Regular contact with constituents enables the MPs to easily identify their needs and elicit their input on policy debates. Frequent interactions between MPs and citizens also facilitate information sharing that could make government more accountable to the people.
Achieve
MPs can also help achieve this outcome by informing citizens about legislative actions, ensuring that citizens’ voices are reflected in budgets and public policies, and assisting constituents to gain access to governmental services. MPs should help improve constituency relations by making regular visits to constituencies, particularly while Parliament is on recess and, in some cases, establishing offices in their constituencies. To better analyse legislation, MPs should have a good understanding of the issues to be addressed by a Bill. Therefore, it is helpful to vote for MPs who will be determining the problem different Bills seek to resolve and then identify any existing legislation or rules and regulations on similar issues. When reviewing a Bill, an MP must keep in mind that the new Bill will have an impact on existing legislation and practices. For example, the Citizens Economic Empowerment Bill of 2015, which seeks to promote equal opportunities of a targeted citizen, a citizen empowered company, a citizen influenced company and a citizen owned company in accessing and being awarded procurement contracts and other services from a State institution or State-owned enterprises.
In Parliament actions are subjected to the rule of law, which implies respect for laws passed. It is, therefore, Parliament’s responsibility to ensure that the laws of the land are well executed. Parliamentary oversight entails monitoring the actions and activities of the Executive branch of government to ensure transparency and accountability. MPs have a responsibility to conduct oversight over Executive branch agencies, including government ministries, to ensure that funds appropriated by Parliament are used legally and efficiently. MPs also have a responsibility to ensure that legislation passed by Parliament is implemented as intended. The interests and needs of both women, those with different disabilities and men should be considered fully during the legislative process. Gender representation is more than the number of women in Parliament. Helping foster gender equality is an important component of an MP’s role while exercising parliamentary oversight. MPs can monitor the implementation of gender-sensitive laws and policies such as national gender policies or regional and international instruments or agreements that eliminate discrimination and promote gender equality.
Equality
In order to fulfill this important role effectively, MPs must be aware of the national, regional and international legal instruments on gender equality. As MPs embrace a broader gender perspective, Parliament is more likely to incorporate the interests of both women and men in the decision-making process. It is important to recognise that in contemporary society, women are still disadvantaged and do not participate equally as men in policy making, nor do they benefit equally as men. In exercising their roles and responsibilities, MPs must consider the needs of all people in the constituency - women and men, girls, boys and people with disabilities. Both women and men must see their experiences reflected in the political agendas in Parliament. An MP is simply elected by a majority of their constituents and is the constituency representative for the term of the whole Parliament.
