. . .opposition MPs ‘offered’ ministerial posts in a move that has angered the LCD
Bongiwe Zihlangu
THE Democratic Congress (DC) spokesperson, Serialong Qoo, has said the ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC) is on a crusade to woo the DC into forming a coalition government.
Mr Qoo, who is also the DC Member of Parliament (MP) for the Malingoaneng constituency, made the sensational allegations yesterday in an interview with the Lesotho Times.
According to Mr Qoo, the ABC — which formed a coalition government with the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and Basotho National Party (BNP) in June 2012 — had allegedly approached “several” DC legislators and offered them ministerial posts should they agree to the alliance.
The ABC, he added, had reportedly tasked its MP for the Maliepetsane constituency, Michael Molefe, with the responsibility of enticing individual MPs, while also attempting to speak with DC leader, Pakalitha Mosisili “to discuss how the two parties can work together”.
“I was approached by Mr Molefe, who promised me a ministerial post in the event the alliance worked out or I crossed the floor to the ruling party.
“Molefe told me he had been sent by ABC leader (and Prime Minister), Ntate (Thomas) Thabane, to give me the message,” Mr Qoo said.
“I then asked which ministry they would give me, and he said any. I then told him I wanted the Ministry of Mining, and he responded that he would report back to his party and come back to me and I am still waiting.”
Mr Qoo, who is also the DC’s shadow minister for mining, said he was aware his DC colleagues — Mokhotlong constituency MP Tlohang Sekhamane and Mohale’s Hoek constituency MP Retšelisitsoe Masenyetse — had allegedly also been approached.
“I know they have also been approached, but I can’t speak for them; I can only speak for myself because I don’t know what they have been promised,” Mr Qoo said.
Asked why he thought the ABC was trying to court the DC, Mr Qoo said it was due to “tension” in the coalition government.
“The ABC is scared that the LCD will get to us first.
“Remember when this coalition was formed, it was mainly to spite the DC, but now their decision to close the door on the party with the most seats in parliament, is coming back to haunt them,” Qoo said.
Meanwhile, LCD spokesperson, Selibe Mochoboroane, yesterday told the Lesotho Times he had heard the “allegations”.
Mr Mochoboroane, who is also the Minister of Communications, Science and Technology, said: “Yes, I have heard along the corridors, that the ABC is trying to poach DC MPs and that, at the same time, the ABC leader is also trying to court the party’s leadership.
“If the allegations are true, it is sad because one would expect the ABC to consult with its coalition partners before taking such a bold step.”
Mr Mochoboroane further said when the DC and Bloc of Parties in Parliament tried to pass a vote-of-no-confidence in the coalition government in March this year “we all went out together as the three coalition partners to try and win back the Bloc”.
“So, why would the ABC, this time around, go out alone and attempt to court the DC behind closed doors?” Mr Mochoboroane asked, adding what irked him the most, was he had heard the ABC was allegedly telling the MPs it was trying to court “that they have had enough of the LCD”.
“It is unacceptable that the ABC is going behind our backs because if we knew, we would understand and take action of our own.”
However, the minister said the LCD was not surprised by the claims “because whenever there are allegations concerning the ABC, they always turn out to be true”.
“In this case, if they are fed-up working with us, why don’t they just say so, to afford us the opportunity to also go out there and court other parties?”
Mr Mochoboroane also took a trip down memory lane, touching on the attack launched by the ABC Deputy Leader, Mining Minister Tlali Khasu, at party rally held in the Qeme constituency at the end of February this year.
Mr Khasu complained that some of the ministries under the LCD, such as Local Government, were letting the coalition government down. The minister, who appeared embarrassed by the state of the roads in the constituency, said ABC members must ensure the party wins the 2017 national elections with an outright majority so it can form government on its own.
In addition to Local Government, Mr Khasu also slammed the Ministry of Energy, Meteorology and Water Affairs — which is also under the LCD — for failing to provide services to the Qeme constituency.
“The ABC’s actions just shock us. Not so long ago, in Qeme, the party accused us of stepping on the ball instead delivering services and that soon, all hell will break loose.
“Now they are approaching the DC behind our backs. Courting the DC is within their rights, but I just don’t like their clandestine approach.”
The minister also boldly declared that if the LCD decides to court the DC, “we will do it openly, and not in a surreptitious manner”.
Mr Mochoboroane further dared the ABC to tell the LCD “in the open” that the party wanted to abort the coalition government and form a new alliance with the DC.
“If they want to work with the DC and the party accepts their offer, it is fine by us because we will gladly return to parliament to become ordinary MPs,” Mr Mochoroane said.
“Or better yet, let them call a fresh election for us to go to the polls and end this madness.”
Contacted yesterday for comment, Mr Molefe denied ever approaching Mr Qoo or being sent by his party to woo the DC.
“I’ve never even been sent on such a mission by my party; I know nothing about this and I hate it when people drag my name in such issues. My leader never sent me on such a mission either,” Mr Molefe said.
“I do not even recall approaching Qoo to discuss such an issue, but what I can tell you is that he’s a comedian and so I always joke with him about this and that.”
Mr Molefe also said in politics “people can do anything to advance their political interests”.
“We have loyal partners in the Bloc and we don’t need the DC. Why would we want to have anything to do with the DC when we have support in parliament?” Mr Molefe snapped.
When the Lesotho Times contacted ABC secretary-general Samonyane Ntsekele for comment yesterday, he said he had also heard “such rumours” but insisted he would not entertain them because “we have no such thing on the table as the ABC National Executive Committee (NEC)”.
“I don’t know of such an arrangement at NEC level, so I will dismiss this as mere political propaganda,” Mr Ntsekele said.
Mr Ntsekele, who is also Political Advisor to Dr Thabane, said “when people play politics, allegations, whose purpose is simply to sow confusion within the coalition government, will always surface”.
“There appears to be a struggle for power that overrides people’s interests and it is very wrong because we’re here for the advancement of our people,” Mr Ntsekele said.
“If the LCD is disgruntled, the best thing to do is to sit down with us so we can iron out our differences.
“The interests of our people far outweigh our own and we should do all we can to protect this coalition government, to serve the purpose for which it was established.”
