Pascalinah Kabi
BASOTHO National Party (BNP) spokesperson Machesetsa Mofomobe has called on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to ensure that all 25 political parties contesting in the country’s snap elections are allocated equal airtime in the state-owned media.
Lesotho will hold elections next week on 3 June.
The snap polls were announced in March by King Letsie III in the aftermath of the no confidence vote that was passed that same month by the opposition against the seven parties’ coalition government headed by DC leader Pakalitha Mosisili.
And Mr Mofomobe, who is also the BNP election candidate for Thetsane constituency, on Tuesday filed a complaint with the IEC, demanding that all parties be allocated equal time at both Radio Lesotho and Lesotho Television.
“Ever since the election period started, I have observed that Lesotho Television in particular has been giving a lot more airtime to the political parties in the present government, in particular, the Democratic Congress (DC) and Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD),” reads part of Mr Mofomobe’s complaint to the IEC.
The LCD is led by Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing.
Mr Mofomobe alleged that the television’s behaviour in giving the two parties more airtime contravened the provisions of Section 67 (2) and (3) of the electoral act which enjoins the commission to arrange with the state-owned media to allocate airtime to all political parties registered with the commission and that the commission shall determine the allocation of such time.
“This section and sub sections must be read together with section 61 of the same act which section enjoins public officials: which I submit the commission’s officials are such public officials, to give equal treatment to political parties registered with the commission.
“On the basis of the foregoing then Sir, I hereby formerly lodge a complaint on behalf of the party as well as my own behalf as a candidate participating in this election. This act is illegal and offends against the above stipulated provisions.
“I therefore ask the commission to rectify this illegality by allocating us the parties that are not in government airtime to catch up. I am willing to come before the commission to elaborate further if such need arises,” Mr Mofomobe said.
Meanwhile, the BNP candidate for Hlotse constituency Bereng Makotoko wants Dr Mosisili and Mr Metsing to be given a formal warning to “never utter” statements that during the 1970 BNP government people were buried alive in Lipeketheng, Hlotse in the Leribe district.
“On Sunday the 30th day of April 2017, at a place known as Lipeketheng, Hlotse, in the Leribe district, the 3rd and fourth respondents (Mosisili and Metsing respectively) held a joint rally in which they published a list to the effect that the 2nd (BNP) applicant herein, during its term in office as the government of Lesotho in the 1970s buried people alive at the very place where the rally was held and that therefore people should not vote for doers of such heinous acts,” Advocate Makotoko said in his papers filed to IEC on May 19.
He said that the claims were false and that people were never buried alive nor had it ever been proved by anyone that such incidents ever took place.
He said this ‘lie’ had been politically harmful to him and his party.
“Wherefore we pray this tribunal to order as follows: respondents be given a formal warning never to utter such statements ever again and be ordered to pay the maximum fine that can be imposed by the commission,” Advocate Makotoko said.
