Jamie PowAhead of the Northern Ireland Assembly election on 5th May, Northern Slant wants to give our readers the opportunity to (virtually) meet candidates from across the political spectrum. The one thing they have in common is that none of them have been elected to the Assembly before. In this interview we hear from Sipho Sibanda, the People Before Profit candidate for South Belfast.
Hi Sipho, could you tell us about yourself and your life before entering politics?
My whole life has always been political to a certain extent. Before I stood for MLA, I was an activist and I still am. I was part of a group that advocated for the right to work for people seeking refuge with no recourse to public funds. I also advocated for those that had been driven into homelessness by the structural racism that’s in the policy design of the hostile environment. I was part of the Black Lives Matter movement in Belfast and also part of City of Sanctuary. I have volunteered with a few grassroots organisations that support those in need. I am also a full-time student at Ulster University School of Humanities.
What is the main reason you’ve decided to stand in this election?
I have lived in Northern Ireland for a couple of years and in all the years and with all my experiences I learnt that that without representation, some groups of people do get misrepresented. BLM and Covid were my biggest push factors. They made me realise that as people from the BAME community we have no representation and our voices were not being heard. Whatever our demands were, they somehow got diluted and undermined. That was the turning point for me. I have also learnt over the years that the politics in NI is hereditary and people vote along the traditional ‘colour’ lines. This means those that don’t want to vote Green or Orange find themselves with no options or fewer options, yet we talk about being progressive.
What made you choose to stand for People Before Profit?
I have been part of PBP for a while and when I was asked to stand, I felt it was an honour that they believed in me. I also wanted to be that progressive party that allows for people of Colour to be seen and heard. PBP have always been on the ground as they are all activists. PBP understand representation and I believe they understood what ethnic minorities spoke of when we advocated for representation.
Sometimes election campaigns can be criticised for focusing too much on the short-term. What is your main long-term priority and, if elected, how will you try to address it?
If am elected it would be an honour. It will also mean that there is now an extra MLA for PBP. It has only been Gerry Carroll in Belfast in the Assembly. This would mean there is another MLA and I would like to help push some of the issues that PBP have been working for. We are for the working-class communities and working-class people sure need more agitators in Stormont – more people that have their interests at heart. So my long-term goal is to serve my constituents the best way I can and ensure their views are represented.
If you could introduce a Private Member’s Bill, what would it be?
I would reintroduce Gerry Carroll’s Trade Union Freedom and Workers’ Rights Bill. I would also push the Racial Equality strategy, to get it implemented.
Some people might think that it’s not worth voting in this election. What would you say to them?
There is a lot of mistrust in the political establishment and that is because those that were voted into power have not carried their mandates. I personally do not fully blame the voter for this but blame the voters if they are re-voting for the same people they are not happy with. We can’t do the same thing over and over and expect a different response. Voting is a democratic right. It is your voice. It is how we change the system and those in power. So don’t allow your emotions to cloud your judgement and you miss out on an opportunity to create the change that you want to see. Go and vote on the 5th! And vote wisely.
Voting will be open on Thursday 5th May between 7am and 10pm. You can find the full list of candidates standing in each constituency on the Electoral Office website here. No matter your persuasion, we encourage you to weigh up the options and head to the voting booth on 5th May. Make your voice heard.
Check out the rest of our #MeetTheCandidate series here. Candidates from across the political spectrum, and across Northern Ireland, were invited to take part.
Also published on Medium.
