Mohloai Mpesi
BUSINESSMAN and Democratic Congress (DC) activist, Bothata Mahlala, has harshly criticized Lesotho’s politicians, accusing them of frequently lying and making false promises to the people.
Mr Mahlala urged Basotho to end what he described as the era of unchecked political deception by their politicians and demand accountability from them in the next general elections due in 2028.
Addressing a rally in Leribe on Sunday, Mr Mahlala accused politicians of constantly treating voters as fools by giving them empty promises.
Mr Mahlala, who is the DC’s Head of Publications, withdrew his nomination for contesting the party’s deputy leader post at its elective conference this weekend.
Mr Mahlala explained in a previous interview with the Lesotho Times that he withdrew his candidacy because the DC was now deeply divided into factions, one of which appeared to have the support of the party’s leadership.
Despite speculation that Mr Mahlala plans to form his own political party, he has dismissed that as baseless.
DC spokesperson Serialong Qoo previously told the Lesotho Times, that Mr Mahlala had already registered his yet-to-be-unveiled political party with the Law Office.
Attendees at Mr Mahlala’s rally were mainly members of the DC, including a faction of the DC Women’s League that backs him. But the rally was certainly not a DC affair.
Mr Mahlala addressed the rally in his own personal capacity as a Mosotho man, he said.
He plans to travel the country to solicit Basotho’s opinions on wide-ranging issues of governance and relay them directly to Prime Minister Sam Matekane, to whom he claims to have regular access.
He sung praises of Mr Matekane describing him as approachable and open to discussing the country’s developmental issues.
All this seems to confirm that Mr Bothata’s heart is no longer in the DC. It is difficult to see how he can possibly remain in the DC when he is constantly criticising the party while praising its rival, Mr Matekane.
“From here (Leribe), we will go to other districts where we will solicit Basotho’s views and opinions on wide-ranging issues of governance and relay them to the prime minister. I am the founder of Bothata Mahlala Development Foundation, and I am privileged to meet with those in government and advise them,” Mr Mahlala said.
“In this current regime, I can talk to the Prime Minister anytime I want to discuss developmental issues of this country with him. The PM is not a difficult person to talk to. He is a person that you can meet when you want. I will take your mandate as the public to him. He did not assign me to come to you, but I came here at your invitation,” he said.
Mr Mahlala emphasised the importance of Basotho taking ownership of their nation’s future, rather than being swayed by politicians with their own agendas and false promises.
He implored Basotho not to lose interest in elections, saying they must turn up in huge numbers in the next elections to choose only leaders who demonstrated commitment to serving the nation, not their own interests.
Mr Mahlala called for the curtailment of lavish benefits to politicians saying they were public servants and not executives in rich private sector conglomerates.
At most, ministers should not enjoy more benefits than ordinary legislators. They were all elected officials. Ministers’ salaries should thus be reduced to match those of members of parliament.
Ministers received higher salaries, government vehicles, free fuel, housing, communication allowances, and travel per diems when MPs did not. Ministers also secured government tenders, further widening the gap between their earnings and those of regular MPs.
Ministers’ salaries and benefits should instead be reduced to keep them at the level of ordinary MPs instead of hiking the salaries of MPs.
This, he believes, would ensure the country has leaders truly dedicated to public service, not personal gain.
Mr Mahlala emphasized the importance of the opposition providing constructive criticism to the government, rather than seeking to overthrow it.
He spoke of the need for “positive, well-intentioned criticism of the current government when it makes mistakes, as this approach is more likely to be heard and heeded”.
