Keiso Mohloboli
PRIME Minister Thomas Thabane says he has not built himself a mansion because he has not been stealing public funds.
Addressing Malimong residents in Berea yesterday, the All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader said he still stays in a two-roomed house in Ha Abia and not a castle simply because he had refused to be involved in corruption.
Dr Thabane, who visited Malimong alongside several ABC and Basotho National Party (BNP) ministers, as well as Keketso Rantšo of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), told the villagers he would continue fighting corruption until the scourge is eradicated from society.
“People who want to cling to power are those who know exactly what corruption they did while in government. Some people have openly boasted that my government will not be able to implement any projects because it has no money.
“It is true that there is no money in government coffers but not as a result of inflation but because some people stole the money; the money is not where it is supposed to be but in the pockets of individuals. I don’t mind if people kill me for telling the truth that some individuals stole money from government and now their families are very rich, and live in mansions,” the premier said, amid thunderous applause from the estimated 2000 villagers.
Dr Thabane said he had never attempted to corruptly benefit from the positions he has held in government over the years.
“I have been in different governments and still stay in my two-roomed house and that does not mean that I am stupid. It is because I budget and establish projects from what I am entitled to, which is my salary. I am proud that I don’t have a mansion built from stolen money from government or anywhere else. That is why I urge you all that come February 2015, you should vote for people who are transparent in handling your taxes for the development of this country.
“And to all those who support me and my partner, Chief Thesele ‘Maseribane (BNP leader), let us all die for the truth and nothing else,” Dr Thabane said.
On his part, Chief ‘Maseribane told the villagers that “nobody” had asked the premier why he decided to suspend parliament for nine months on 10 June this year. The prorogation, which marked the beginning of the collapse of the coalition government comprising the ABC, BNP and LCD, was only lifted on 5 September and parliament opened last Friday following mediation by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Because of the souring of relations among LCD leader Mothetjoa Metsing and Dr Thabane, Lesotho would be holding early elections in February 2015.
“Ntate Thabane was never asked why he prorogued parliament, not by the President of Namibia Hifikepunye Pohamba, President Jacob Zuma of South Africa or anybody else,” Chief ‘Maseribane said.
“But I am volunteering to announce to you here today and the nation at large, that Ntate Thabane was not running away from a vote-of-no-confidence as you have been made to believe by some politicians. The prime minister was reliably informed that most of our Members of Parliament (MPs) and ministers were involved in corruption and stealing money from the government .
“The prime minister has been working tirelessly to root-out corruption in government and he had to prorogue parliament because it came as a shock to him to realise that his colleagues in the National Assembly were involved in corruption on such a huge scale.
“If he hadn’t suspended parliament, there were going to be mass arrests of MPs and ministers so he decided to suspend the House, while he studied the matter carefully without distraction.”
Chief ‘Maseribane added: “You see this political instability in our country right now? It is not because of the prorogation but due to some ministers who have bribed some members of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) to create this instability simply to cover-up their corrupt deeds.
“They don’t care that the instability is now threatening and even taking the lives of innocent people, because they are only concerned about the welfare of their own families.
“This instability started when the prime minister decided to change the LDF command in August this year.
“He removed Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli and replaced him with Lieutenant General Maaparankoe Mahao, and he had the powers to do so as Prime Minister and Minister of Defence but some people say they will not accept that decision because they were not consulted when made it.
“But what I would want to assure you is that Ntate Mahao is now the LDF Commander and not Kamoli, while Ntate Khothatso Tšooana is the Police Commissioner.”
Chief ‘Maseribane urged the villagers to vote for a transparent leader in next February’s snap elections.
“What I appreciate about elections is that every individual will vote fairly, alone, and there would be no one to shoot him or her for his or her vote,” Chief ‘Maseribane said.
The BNP leader also urged religious leaders to stop holding meetings with politicians in their “cathedrals” while pretending to be praying.
“Of late, we see our priests active in party politics because they open up our churches for politicians to hold meetings and end up deciding who to kidnap. This should stop because that is not what the church is there for,” Chief ‘Maseribane said.
On behalf of the Berea community, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Litšoane Litšoane said: “It is unfortunate that the individuals causing this instability in our country right now, are our partners in government.
“Lesotho is in this state because of individuals who want to push their personal agendas against the interests of the nation.
“These people’s behaviour is in violation of the constitution of Lesotho and is getting out of hand, which should not be tolerated.”
Mr Litšoane, who is a member of the ABC, said going for elections was the only way to resolve Lesotho’s political and security crisis.
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