LCD Spokesperson Teboho Sekata
’Marafaele Mohloboli
THE Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) has accused the United States government of interference in Lesotho’s domestic affairs and attempting to influence policy decisions.
The Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing-led LCD is part of the seven-party governing coalition headed by Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.
LCD spokesperson, Teboho Sekata this week told the Lesotho Times “the American government undermines us and our decisions,” adding the fact that “they are helping us does not give them the right to make demands on our country and how we should run it”.
The comments were made in response to the recent US government letter to Dr Mosisili signed by US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Assistant Trade Representative for Africa Florizelle Liser which indicated the country had not done enough to meet governance benchmarks in order to remain eligible to benefit from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
AGOA accords duty-free treatment to products exported by beneficiary sub-Saharan countries to the United States including Lesotho. A determination on Lesotho’s AGOA eligibility will be made before the end of the year and become effective on 1 January 2017.
The Americans say in the letter that while the retirement of Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) commander Lieutenant-General Tlali Kamoli on 1 December this year “marks a welcome and positive step forward”, it was not sufficient in implementing Southern African Development Community (SADC) Commission of Inquiry recommendations.
The Justice Mpaphi Phumaphi-led commission made a number of recommendations, including the dismissal of Lt-Gen Kamoli, suspension of LDF officers implicated in cases of murder, attempted murder and treason while investigations into the allegations proceeded in line with international best practice.
The inquiry also recommended an amnesty for the 23 soldiers facing mutiny charges before the Court Martial. The soldiers were arrested between May and June 2015 for allegedly plotting to violently remove the LDF command. Eight of the soldiers have since been released from Maseru Maximum Security Prison and placed under open arrest, which is a form of bail in the military. The other 15 remain in detention.
Citing the SADC Commission’s conclusion that the “whole case of mutiny [is] highly suspect”, the Americans urged the government to grant the detained mutiny suspects amnesty as soon as possible “or to look for other avenues to facilitate their expeditious release”.
However, Mr Sekata said the Americans were asking “too much” of Lesotho.
“Just because we want AGOA to stay and save more than 40 000 jobs does not mean we have to give up our principles. Our suspicion now is that America is governing us,” Mr Sekata said.
“The court of Appeal has made a ruling pertaining to the detained soldiers so what is America’s problem; just because they are aiding us does not mean they have to undermine us in the way that they are doing.”
