Bongiwe Zihlangu
DEMOCRATIC Congress (DC) leader, Mathibeli Mokhothu, is confident of securing an outright victory in what he views as “life and death” elections tomorrow.
Addressing a massive crowd at a campaign rally in Masianokeng this week, Mr Mokhothu said he could not wait for polling stations to open so that he could prove his detractors wrong by walloping his opponents.
“If there is any election I have ever thirsted for, it is this year’s,” Mr Mokhothu told the raucous party faithful who included founding leader and former Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili.
Incidentally, tomorrow’s polls will be the first elections to be held with Mr Mokhothu as DC leader. He succeeded Mr Mosisili who retired in January 2019. Among others, he will square off with Nkaku Kabi who is also contesting for the first time as All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader. Mr Kabi beat outgoing Prime Minister, Moeketsi Majoro, at the ABC’s January 2022 election to succeed founding leader and former Prime Minister, Thomas Thabane. Apart from facing off with the ABC, with whom the DC has been in a governing coalition since May 2020, Mr Mokhothu should also expect a titanic battle with former ABC deputy leader, Nqosa Mahao of the Basotho Action Party and businessman-cum-politician Sam Matekane of the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) formed in March this year.
Despite the stiff competition, Mr Mokhothu is raring to go. He is confident of securing an outright victory to govern alone.
“There is no doubt that we will emerge victorious in tomorrow’s elections. I cannot wait for us to go to the polls. We will wallop other political parties the way a wild bird gobbles up mice in the fields. We will beat them to the pulp and leave them worn out,” Mr Mokhothu said.
He said soon after securing an outright victory, he would meet with the DC leadership to give them directions as to how to govern the country.
“Trust me when I say that if you vote right, we’ll emerge victorious. We are confident of securing more than 60 seats.
“An election victory would also be the best send-off present for our (founding) leader, Ntate Mosisili. We’ll be bidding farewell to him. Therefore, winning would be my way of thanking him for laying a strong foundation for the party.”
In an apparent jibe at Mr Matekane, who has been accused by various parties of flaunting his wealth to swing the election in his favour, Mr Mokhothu said God would ensure that the DC “prevails over all the money in the world”.
“You must ensure that every member of your family goes to the polls. You must be wise when you vote because this election is a matter of life and death.
“You must all vote to give the DC a resounding victory with numbers which have never been seen before in Lesotho. When you do that, it will clearly demonstrate that the nation’s voice is supreme.
“Through our votes, we will be able to demonstrate that God’s powers far surpass the strength of all the money in the world.”
He reiterated his pledge to establish diamond mines and water bottling companies to create more jobs and boost the economy. He however, did not say where the money to fund the projects would come from.
A DC government would also support local businesses to create jobs for youths and women, who constitute the majority of the unemployed in the country, he said.
“We’ll also work with workers’ unions to ensure that factory workers acquire skills and became shareholders in the textile industry” Mr Mokhothu said.
He said his government would establish new courts to specifically deal with conflicts between factory workers and their employers because they felt the Labour Court was not effective.
A DC government would also build crèches and primary schools close to the factories to enable working parents to easily fend for their children while at work.
On his part, Mr Mosisili appealed to the electorate to vote for the DC. He said it was the only party capable of improving the welfare of Basotho.
“In as much as the turn-up for this rally is impressive, you must know that elections are not won at rallies but at voting stations.
“Your salvation and that of your children awaits you at the polls. I humbly implore you to go and vote for the DC for a bright future. My future and your future, my hope and your hope are all dependent on a DC victory,” Mr Mosisili said to wild cheers from the crowd.
In remarks seemingly directed at the RFP and other new parties, Mr Mosisili warned voters against “giving state power to novices”.
He urged all party members to accept that the leadership baton had since passed to Mr Mokhothu. Nostalgic references to his time in charge were therefore unhelpful, he said.
He promised that all constituencies in his home district of Qacha’s Nek would be won by the DC.
“For the first time our leader (Mokhothu) is leading us into the elections.
“For the very first time, I will be voting for someone else in my native Tsoelike constituency. Ntate Mokhothu, I can assure you that we will win all the Qacha’s Nek constituencies for you. I challenge other constituencies to do the same” Mr Mosisili said. 22).
