’Marafaele Mohloboli
THE government is tottering on the verge of collapse and Democratic Congress (DC) leader Mathibeli Mokhothu will triumph in the resultant elections, former prime minister and DC leader, Pakalitha Mosisili, has said.
Dr Mosisili said this while addressing hundreds of DC supporters at a weekend rally in in Ha Mohlakoana in the Mount Moorosi area of Quthing district.
Dr Mosisili’s wife, former First Lady ’Mathato Mosisili, attended the rally along with Mr Mokhothu, DC legislators and members of the national executive committee (NEC).
Dr Mosisili served as prime minister from May 1998 to June 2012 and again from March 2015 to June 2017 when he lost the snap national elections to current prime minister and All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader Thomas Thabane.
But two years into Dr Thabane’s tenure, the ABC faces serious infighting threatening to split the party and collapse the four party coalition. Three months ago ABC legislators loyal to “expelled” ABC deputy leader, Professor Nqosa Mahao, filed a no confidence motion against the Thabane regime and the motion is expected to be tabled and voted upon whenever parliament is re-opened.
Although the DC and other opposition parties have backed the no confidence motion and the Mahao faction’s proposal for ABC legislator Samuel Rapapa to succeed Dr Thabane as caretaker prime minister, Dr Mosisili and other DC officials believe that Dr Thabane will not agree to relinquish power to Mr Rapapa if he loses the no confidence vote.
They believe that instead of stepping down and handing over, Dr Thabane will advise His Majesty King Letsie III to call for snap elections.
It is against this background that the DC has been holding countrywide rallies including the rallies in the Quthing district over the weekend. And Dr Mosisili who gave up the DC leadership reins to Mr Mokhothu is confident that his youthful successor will emerge triumphant at the snap polls.
Addressing the Qhoali rally, Dr Mosisili urged DC supporters to recruit more people and in the event of snap elections, vote in their thousands to ensure that Mr Mokhothu becomes the next premier.
“I have seen you (DC supporters) elect a member of parliament in previous years (Mr Mokhothu) but you now need to double the numbers as you won’t be voting for an ordinary member of parliament anymore,” Dr Mosisili said.
“This time around you should know that you will be voting for the next prime minister. I am not referring to the (constitutionally due) 2022 elections but those (snap elections) that are just around the corner.
“When you look at Mokhothu, you should know that you are looking at the next prime minister. Your numbers should do the talking (at the voting stations) because to become a prime minister, it is through the huge numbers (of people who vote). We will certainly win the upcoming elections,” Dr Mosisili said to wild applause from the crowd.
He said it was time to return the DC to power as DC governments had always prioritised the welfare of all citizens, providing free basic education and catering for the needs of the elderly.
“In our government, you all matter. Governments have come and gone and none have ever looked out for its people like our (DC) governments. Our government has always looked out for the elderly people and in the next government we will intensify our efforts to cater for the needs of the disabled like never before.
“Our mandate is to better everyone’s life and above all to educate every child. We already pride ourselves in having built most of the schools and clinics in the country and this time after voting us into power, your kids shall go through their high school years for free,” Dr Mosisili said.
