…“elections can’t come soon enough, we need new faces in parly”
FIVE years after its inauguration, the tenure of Lesotho’s 10th parliament finally came to an end at midnight on 13 July 2022. It was a parliament from whom so much was expected, especially the implementation of the constitutional, security sector, media, judicial and governance reforms. Recommended by SADC in 2016, the multi-sector reforms were aimed at ensuring peace and stability as the building blocks to socio-economic growth which has been elusive since independence from Britain on 4 October 1966.
Despite the huge expectations, the 10th parliament delivered very little. Too much time was spent on self-serving issues such as the passage of laws to award legislators monthly fuel allowances of M5000 each and the removal of the previous Thomas Thabane administration. At other times the legislators would simply show up in parliament just to pray before leaving. As the following Vox Pop done by Lesotho Times Senior Reporter Bereng Mpaki with Maseru residents shows, the public are not happy with the outgoing legislators. The October elections cannot come soon enough for them to elect fresh faces with national interests at heart:
Phethang Kopano
There is a disconnect between parliament and the situation on the ground. Instead of addressing issues of genuine public interest, they have developed laws that are meant to burden the public by introducing special alcohol and tobacco levies. They have failed to enact laws to provide for infrastructural development around the country. They have dismally failed to advance the people’s mandate. The forthcoming elections are an opportunity for us to elect fresh faces who can do better. I can’t wait, the elections cannot come soon enough.
Rafaele Sengoara
I’m extremely disappointed with parliament’s failure to complete the reforms and all its work. What were they doing over the past five years? This shows utter incompetence by our parliamentarians. They seem to only care about their own interests like giving themselves M5 000 monthly fuel allowances each when people are dying of hunger out here.
There are way too many senseless killings out here as we recently heard that 144 people were murdered in just two months. This is happening because parliament has failed to come up with laws or programmes to deter such crimes. The next parliament will have to complete the remaining tasks.
‘Marethabile Sefolo
The fact that this parliament has failed to complete its work on schedule shows how useless they are. They were too playful. At other times they were busy fighting instead of working. And because of that, they failed to complete their business. I am yet to hear of anything that they achieved in the five years they were in office. The next parliament should finish the remaining work.
‘Mamotlatsi Mpeke
It is disappointing that parliament failed to complete its business when they had five years to do so. However, since the reforms and other business they failed to complete are crucial for the future of this country, I think they should be recalled to complete their tasks. It is important that they act to address the long-term challenges facing our country.
Neo Rakhare
It is shameful that the outgoing parliament failed to advance the people’s mandate. They had all the time to complete the business before them. I’m ashamed of them. None of them should be voted back into parliament.
Motlalepula Ramainoane
It is sickening that parliament failed to complete its business on time. It goes to show that they were merely working for their own interests and not for the people who voted them into power. I have lost faith in them. The next parliament should handle the remaining business.
Thabo Matsobane
I’m unhappy with our legislators for failing to fulfil their mandate. They have no excuses for their failures. They had always known that the time for them to go would come. They failed to advance people’s mandate and now they are trying to prolong their stay by deliberately leaving some unfinished work? They should go and rest their time is up.
