MP Refiloe Litjobo
Billy Ntaote
NINE Democratic Congress (DC) proportional representation (PR) legislators have pledged to support the opposition alliance’s no-confidence motion against their party leader, Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.
The DC PR legislators were among the opposition members of parliament (MPs) who held a press conference on Tuesday to reaffirm Alliance of Democrats (AD) leader Monyane Moleleki as their proposed replacement for Dr Mosisili if the no-confidence motion succeeds.
The PR MPs who pledged to support the opposition bloc are former DC secretary-general Ralechate ‘Mokose, former deputy secretary-general Refiloe Litjobo, former chairperson ’Maboiketlo Maliehe, former deputy chairperson Kose Makoa, former Education minister Dr Mahali Phamotse, former deputy editor Retselisitsoe Masenyetse, former National Executive Committee (NEC) fourth member Rethabile Marumo, former third member ’Mathabo Shao and ’Mamosa Molapo.
The MPs were among the NEC members who, led by then DC deputy leader Mr Moleleki, announced that the party had pulled out of the seven-party coalition and joined forces with the opposition bloc to oust the government last November.
Under the pact with the All Basotho Convention (ABC), Basotho National Party and Reformed Congress of Lesotho, Mr Moleleki would lead the coalition for the first 18 months in the event they form government.
ABC leader Thomas Thabane would initially deputise Mr Moleleki and then take over as premier in the latter 18 months.
However, Dr Mosisili did not take the challenge to his rule lying down, with the DC leader suspending Mr Moleleki and the nine NEC members whom he labelled as rebels.
After Mr Moleleki and the NEC members challenged the legality of their suspension, the High Court endorsed the premier’s decision. The court ruling gave Dr Mosisili carte blanche to finish off his vanquished political foes by extending their suspension in party activities for six years.
Thereafter, Mr Moleleki left the DC to form the AD, with the bulk of the party’s women’s and youth leagues following suit.
However, the DC PR legislators could not join the AD since they were not elected MPs and thus vulnerable to being fired if they joined another party.
With the opposition alliance bidding to oust Dr Mosisili’s government through a no-confidence vote, the DC PR legislators have pledged to support the motion.
One of the legislators, Mr Litjobo, said while they remained DC MPs because of not being elected lawmakers, they would support the no-confidence motion.
“As proportional representation MPs, we will remain in the Democratic Congress and will not be crossing the floor to the opposition with the legislators who joined the Alliance of Democrats,” he said.
“Our support for the motion against our party does not mean that we have crossed floor. We remain DC MPs.”
The AD wrote a letter to National Assembly Speaker Ntlhoi Motsamai last Friday to officially notify her of the party’s existence and their intention to cross the floor from the government’s side to the opposition when parliament reconvenes tomorrow.
Mr Litjobo said they were no longer allowed to participate in DC activities since their suspension.
“We were accorded a heavy punishment by the DC in not being allowed to use its symbols outside parliament. We are also not allowed to talk on behalf of the DC even though we represent it in parliament.”
He said they had the right to vote with their “conscience” in parliament.
“We have the freedom to do as we wish as individual MPs like any other legislators,” Mr Litjobo said.
“In a parliamentary democracy, every MP is entitled to their own opinion and even in the case of towing the party line, an MP is at liberty to support anything they want in the house.”
The decision to support the opposition, he said, was “in the national interest”.
“We are supporting this opposition alliance because it promises to provide better education and to improve the welfare of the citizens. The opposition bloc has also committed to ensuring equality in the distribution of wealth as opposed to only a few enriching themselves from the public purse.
“If I am to be crucified, then it’s better to be crucified for having done something in the best interests of this country and not for having sat down and done nothing when I could have taken a stand against devious actions done while I was in office,” added Mr Litjobo.
Efforts to contact DC Secretary-General Semano Sekatle proved fruitless yesterday.
