—Replaces him with appointed deputy leader
—Declares himself chairperson of BAP parly caucus
Mohloai Mpesi
Basotho Action Party (BAP) leader Nqosa Mahao’s rivalry with his suspended deputy, Motlatsi Maqelepo, seems to be escalating.
This after Professor Mahao replaced Mr Maqalepo as the party’s deputy with one Ralitapole Letsoela.
The move follows last week’s decision by the Court of Appeal to essentially uphold Mr Maqelepo’s seven year suspension by the BAP’s central executive committee (CEC).
Prof Mahao is now pushing to oust Mr Maqelepo and another BAP MP, Tello Kibane, from the party’s parliamentary caucus.
Messrs Maqelepo and Kibane were suspended from the BAP on 7 January 2025 for seven and five years respectively for a number of alleged transgressions. Another BAP MP, Hilda Vanrooyen, was given a one year suspension while another, ‘Mamoipone Senauoane, voluntarily withdrew her membership from all BAP committees.
Four of the BAP’s six MPs have effectively been at odds with Professor Mahao, rendering the party’s parliamentary caucus comatose as it cannot deliver on the party’s mandate in the National Assembly.
Prof Mahao took his disdain for Mr Maqelepo a notch higher this week after using what he describes as the CEC’s constitutional discretion to appoint a new deputy leader to replace Mr Maqelepo.
He appointed Mr Letsoela, his rumoured relative, to replace Mr Maqelepo.
Prof Mahao has already declared that he does not want Mr Maqelepo anywhere near his party, “not even at an arm’s length”.
Both Messrs Maqelepo and Kibane are among the four BAP legislators who opposed Prof Mahao’s decision to withdraw the BAP from Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s coalition government, following his dismissal as the Minister of Energy. Prof Mahao had joined Mr Matekane’s government in November 2023 to help the latter avert an opposition no-confidence vote. But he would latter fall out with Mr Matekane and a majority of his own party’s six MPs.
Prof Mahao currently enjoys the support of only one BAP MP, ‘Mannyaneso Taole.
He has nonetheless declared himself the chairperson of the BAP parliamentary caucus, and told Speaker of the National Assembly, Tlohang Sekhamane, as much on Tuesday.
Mr Sekhamane had previously rejected Prof Mahao’s attempt to usurp the BAP caucus by formally withdrawing the BAP from the coalition government. Mr Maqelepo remains a cabinet minister in charge of the sports and tourism portfolio.
However, the tenacious Prof Mahao wrote Mr Sekhamane again on Tuesday this week, informing him that the Appeal Court had ruled in his favour and that the two MPs “are no longer members of the BAP Parliamentary Caucus”.
He declared that he (Prof Mahao) is the new Chairperson of the BAP Parliamentary Caucus, and that Ms Taole is his secretary.
“BAP now wishes to advise your good office that having lodged an appeal in the Court of Appeal against Justice Makara’s verdict, the matter of the court’s jurisdiction has since been conclusively resolved by that highest court in the land,” Prof Mahao wrote to Mr Sekhamane.
“In specific terms, the Court of Appeal has upheld BAP’s appeal that Justice Makara had no jurisdiction whatsoever to enter the matter and preside over a matter that was still within the remit of party internal constitutional structures.
“Logically, without such jurisdiction, his judgment in the matter was null and void ab initio. This means that the suspensions imposed by BAP on Messrs Maqelepo and Kibane have been reinstated, and they are effective.”
The BAP leader said that the lawmakers were therefore suspended from all BAP committees, including the Parliamentary Caucus.
“Your excellency, we provide this detailed information to enable your good office to be in the loop regarding the BAP Parliamentary Caucus. Note, therefore, that the following MPs are presently suspended from the BAP Parliamentary Caucus, including any positions they may have held in the Caucus: Mr Maqelepo, Mr Kibane, and Ms Vanrooyen,” he said.
Mr Sekhamane’s telephone rang unanswered when we contacted him for a comment.
While Mr Maqelepo could not be reached for comment yesterday, he has previously vowed to fight Prof Mahao “to the bitter end”.
