’Marafaele Mohloboli
ALL Basotho Convention (ABC) leader, Nkaku Kabi, has told his supporters that he will win the elections and become the next prime minister.
Ever since, he defeated Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro to clinch the party’s leadership post at its January 2022 elective conference, Mr Kabi has unsuccessfully tried to wrestle power from the premier.
His appeals to Dr Majoro to make way for him have fallen on deaf ears with the premier insisting that he will finish his term. Last Monday, Mr Kabi and his allies, who included the Alliance of Democrats (AD), lost a parliamentary no confidence vote against Dr Majoro who polled 66 votes to their 38.
Before that on 2 March 2022, Mr Kabi “withdrew” the ABC from government and blocked the presentation of the budget speech in parliament. Finance Minister Thabo Sophonea subsequently presented the budget speech to journalists the following day.
Despite his humiliating failure to unseat Dr Majoro, Mr Kabi says he is confident of leading the fractured party to victory in the elections due anytime from October this year and subsequently taking over as premier.
Addressing hundreds of ABC supporters at a rally in Malimong, Berea this week, Mr Kabi said, “I swear to you that these storms shall pass.
“It might take longer than anticipated but eventually it will come to pass. Even if elections were to be held now or in July or September, the ABC will form the next government. Please do not be frustrated by the storms surrounding you. Don’t be shaken, we are almost at our destination.
“Please pray for me to remember your loyalty after we win the elections. Your dedication to this party through trying times must be rewarded through service delivery,” Mr Kabi said.
Several ABC MPs, including those in Dr Majoro’s cabinet like Communications, Science and Technology Minister, Samuel Rapapa (Mosalemane constituency) have refused to side with Mr Kabi. The ABC chairperson has even been banned by the pro-Kabi national executive committee (NEC) from chairing party rallies and meetings due to his allegiance to Dr Majoro.
Mr Kabi alluded to the infighting and opposition to him from some party members, saying he was willing to mend fences with them.
“I am one person who is not easily angered, hence why I am appealing to all those ABC members who fell along the way to come back home and claim their identities. Come back home and stop wandering.
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“I beg you to stop insulting each other in your various groups. Desist from factionalism. There’s no longer any time for factions. We need to hold hands and be one. Let’s reach out and make peace, we all need it,” he added.
On his part, ABC deputy chairperson Chalane Phori insisted that the ABC was no longer part of government alongside Deputy Prime Minister Mathibeli Mokhothu’s Democratic Congress (DC).
Henceforth, they should not be held accountable for any government policy or decision since they were no longer part of it, Mr Phori said.
“We left government and we are now in opposition. Therefore, we will not be held responsible for any government decision since we are no longer part of it,” Mr Phori said. The reality though is that it’s only the Kabi faction of the ABC that is out of the government.
