Billy Ntaote
The ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) is rebuilding its structures which were disbanded after the party’s dismal showing in the 26 May 2012 parliamentary election.
The LCD only won 12 of the 80 contested constituencies, while its splinter party, the Democratic Congress (DC) claimed 41 and the All Basotho Convention (ABC) took 26 of the seats. The Popular Front for Democracy (PFD) won the remaining constituency.
LCD Deputy Spokesperson Mr Selibe Mochoboroane
After the election, the LCD disbanded its women’s and youth leagues following allegations their leadership had been handpicked when the party split in February 2012, resulting in the formation of the DC.
However, according to the party’s deputy spokesperson, Selibe Mochoboroane, a new leadership for the two structures would be elected over the next two months.
A new National Executive Committee (NEC) would also be elected in February next year, Mr Mochoboroane further told the Lesotho Times.
“We released circulars in April this year, telling our membership to use the three months of May, June and July to rebuild the party’s sub-branches, branches and constituency committees.
“We also established district committees to oversee the rebuilding exercise. These district committees are made up of all the constituency committees’ chairpersons, treasurers, secretaries, district councillors, and members of parliament.
“This was all done to prepare for elections to choose new executives for the Women’s League and Youth League in August and September respectively, as well as the party’s NEC in February 2015,” said Mr Mochoboroane, who is also the Minister of Communications, Science and Technology.
Meanwhile, when disbanding the two leagues, the NEC said their leadership had not been elected “democratically” as required by the party’s constitution.
And after the LCD formed a coalition government together with the ABC and BNP in June 2012, the two structures angered the party’s leadership by complaining that their members were not being prioritised for jobs in LCD-led ministries.
This perceived indiscipline and poor showing of the LCD in the parliamentary poll is said to have precipitated the leagues’ demise, but according to Mr Mochoboroane, the party was now ready to re-establish these two critical organs.
Asked when the party would replace Keketso Rantšo, who was dismissed as secretary general in April this year, Mr Mochoboroane said this could only be done at the NEC elective conference in February next year.
“What we simply did as the NEC was endorse her dismissal after the leader (Mothetjoa Metsing) had suspended her. So the right platform for her to state her case is the February conference, which is going to be an elective conference for the whole National Executive Committee,” Mr Mochoboroane said.
