Keiso Mohloboli
THE LESOTHO Congress for Democracy (LCD) Deputy Secretary General, Tšeliso Mokhosi, yesterday said the LCD-led march which had been earmarked for tomorrow has since been cancelled.
The march was aimed at putting pressure on Prime Minister Thomas Thabane to lift the nine-month suspension of parliament which he effected on 10 June 2014 at the height of his disagreement with Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing.
Mr Mokhosi told the Sunday Express that the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) had advised the party to heed warnings from various stakeholders that the march would cause instability in the country.
“The LDF also advised us to consider peaceful dialogue instead of a march,” said Mr Mokhosi, who is also the Minister of Energy, Meteorology and Water Affairs.
“The march is cancelled as per the advice of the army. The LCD Women’s League conference was also scheduled to start today and end tomorrow but because of security concerns, it has also been cancelled.”
Meanwhile, Mr Mokhosi also told the Sunday Express that Prime Minister Thomas Thabane had proved he was not interested in involving his coalition partner and LCD leader, Deputy Prime Minister Metsing, in decision-making. The LCD, ABC and Basotho National Party (BNP) led by Sports Minister Thesele ‘Maseribane, formed a coalition government after the 26 May 2012 general election had failed to produce an outright majority winner.
“Mr Metsing and I are cabinet members and we had never been informed of the Government Gazette Legal Notice Number 64 (which announced the sacking of Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli and his replacement by Lieutenant General Maaparankoe Mahao),” said Mr Mokhosi.
“I am shocked and baffled by how Thabane handled the issue of Lieutenant General Kamoli’s dismissal if ever it is true.”
Mr Mokhosi said he still believed Lieutenant General Kamoli’s dismissal might not be true because he had heard about it for the first time on local radio when the premier’s Press Secretary, Thabo Thakalekoala, announced Lt Gen Mahao was the new army commander.
Meanwhile, LDF Spokesperson, Major Ntlele Ntoi, yesterday confirmed that the army had advised the LCD to cancel tomorrow’s march, which the police had earlier refused to sanction.
“We advised the LCD to cancel the march and are confident they will listen because most of the time, when we advise people, they listen.”
The LCD had invited its supporters and leaders of other congress political parties, namely the Democratic Congress, Basotho Congress Party, Lesotho People’s Congress and Basotho Batho Democratic Party, to join in the protest march.
– See more at: http://sundayexpress.co.ls/?p=12074#sthash.uZTHV0El.dpuf
