Bongiwe Zihlangu/Mohloai Mpesi
LESOTHO’S political landscape has shifted drastically, stacking the odds against the main opposition Democratic Congress (DC) party.
According to analysts, the party is currently in turmoil, grappling with internal strife and defections of prominent figures, signalling a party that has become detached from its founding ideological roots and is crippled by patronage politics and poor leadership.
The analysts who spoke to the Lesotho Times recently, said DC leader, Mathibeli Mokhothu, lacks a distinct identity as a key opposition figure, depriving the main opposition party of a clear political direction.
This, combined with the party’s internal implosion, indicates the political landscape no longer favours the DC.
They say Mr Mokhothu has ridden on the coattails of his predecessor, the party’s founding leader Pakalitha Mosisili, and failed to assert his own authority since assuming the leadership in 2019.
This situation, the analysts note, is compounded by the DC’s lack of financial resources as the party is out of government.
This has led some of its legislators and influential members to defect to other political formations, including Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s ruling Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party.
The analysts further attribute the exodus to the DC’s perceived disconnect from its origins in the Basotho Congress Party (BCP), established in 1962 by Dr Ntsu Mokhele. They argue that as the party’s ideology has become diluted over the generations, its diehard supporters have become more focused on patronage than principles.
With the DC returning only 26 seats in the October 2022 national elections, down from 48 in 2012, and failing to form the government, the party’s future appears uncertain.
Observers question whether this ongoing exodus of party members signals the inevitable demise of what was once Lesotho’s preeminent “congress” political movement.
The internal turmoil has seen a number of prominent DC figures depart the party, including the Member of Parliament for Maletsunyane, Peiso Kelane, who has joined the RFP.
Other high-profile defections include business tycoon Bothata Mahlala, who plans to form a new party, and former Sports Minister Likeleli Tampane, who was the DC’s women’s league deputy president. The party has also lost its women’s league spokesperson, ‘Makeresemese Lets’oara, and national youth committee member, Bokang Motoa.
Even the DC’s Makhaleng constituency legislator, Mootsi Lehata, has stepped down as the chairperson of the party’s parliamentary caucus, though he claims he is not leaving the DC but making way for others. Those close to Lehata, however, say he is discontented and wants to leave the party.
Local political analyst, Thuso Mosabala, believes the DC’s problems stem from its declining influence as the political landscape evolves, becoming less receptive to the congress movement’s ideological stance.
According to Mr Mosabala, the 2022 National Assembly elections in Lesotho signalled an important shift in Lesotho’s political landscape after the formation of Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s RFP.
“The RFP stunningly won 56 out of 120 parliamentary seats, effectively ending the dominance of traditional parties like ABC and DC. This outcome not only accentuated the electorate’s desire for change but also exposed the challenges faced by the Congress movement in adapting to the evolving political dynamics,” Mr Mosabala said.
“Furthermore, the recent defections within the DC signal a continued decline of the congress movement. It further posits that this once formidable force has been plagued not only by internal disputes but also dwindling support. Often the departure of prominent figures highlights the deep-seated dissatisfaction within the party and the growing perception that it may no longer be a viable political force.”
Whether these defections mark the complete demise of the congress movement “was a rather complex question”, Mr Mosabala said.
“Although the weakening of the DC represents a serious blow, the principles and perhaps the ideals that motivated this movement still resonate with some segments of the population,” Mr Mosabala said.
“However, Lesotho’s political landscape is characterised by fragmentation, and various smaller parties vying for power, and this makes it difficult for any single party to truly recapture the dominance once enjoyed by the BCP and LCD.”
Political analyst Nkopane Mathibeli warned that the DC could be facing its demise. He said the party had strayed from its roots, adopting a new direction that neither its followers nor leadership fully understand.
“The DC is beset by numerous issues, but the main concern is that the party is losing political ground ideologically,” Mr Mathibeli said.
“This could be a sign that the DC is nearing its end, especially if the leadership fails to swiftly address the problem and find solutions.”
Mr Mathibeli said the DC was one of Lesotho’s parties with the most dedicated support base, tracing its origins back to the country’s historic congress movement founded in 1962.
“The congress movement was deeply embedded within the Basotho people at that time, which is why the DC and other parties like the BNP and MFP that emerged then have endured, while others have disappeared.”
However, Mr Mathibeli warned there is a real possibility the DC could be dying, and it is up to leader Mathibeli Mokhothu to urgently turn things around.
“Mokhothu needs to demonstrate strong political acumen, develop a clear vision, and recognize that the party is heading in the wrong direction – and then take swift action to stop its decline,” he said.
“The DC has a core of diehard followers representing the legacy of the congress movement. If Mokhothu can quickly learn how to address the party’s current issues, he may be able to retain those core elements and keep the DC as the vessel for that historic political tradition.”
As the political landscape shifts, Mr Mathibeli noted, Mr Mokhothu must be politically astute when addressing crucial matters.
Unfortunately, the current political environment was crowded with other prominent voices, such as firebrand Basotho National Party (BNP) leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe and the Socialist Revolutionaries (SR) leader, Teboho Mojapela, “who are frequently heard on various radio stations”.
“In contrast, the DC party has lost its ideological footing, which served as the foundation for its political platform. This has made it challenging for the party’s passionate supporters to effectively advocate for and protect the party’s vision and solutions,” he said.
The analysts said Mr Mokhothu should sharpen his political skills “to cut through the noise and effectively communicate the DC’s stance on key issues to the nation”.
“The party’s lack of a clear, resonant message has allowed other political players to dominate the public discourse, potentially overshadowing the DC’s voice and influence,” Mr Mathibeli said.
Mr Mathibeli explained that the “heirs of the congress movement” no longer grasped the party’s founding political ideals “hence its ideology has become diluted, and it now functions more like a patronage system rather than one focused on substantive political issues”.
“It is only the name because we are only looking at the patronage so that when opportunities arise, people will benefit themselves and employ their relatives and friends,” he said. “It no longer deals with the political issues.”
Mr Mathibeli added the DC’s spokespersons struggled to articulate its policies in a politically grounded way. He noted the party no longer had political commissars to educate followers on the principles of the congress movement.
Overally, the DC now operated as a vehicle for personal and political patronage than as a party committed to its founding principles and political ideology.
According to NUL lecturer Dr Tlohang Letsie, the DC was imploding primarily due to the failure of its leader, Mr Mokhothu, to assert his authority and establish a distinct political identity.
Instead, Dr Letsie said, Mr Mokhothu had “piggybacked on the legacy left behind by his predecessor,” former DC founding leader Mr Mosisili. As a result, Mr Mokhothu had not effectively led the DC since assuming its leadership six years ago.
“Mokhothu failed to assert his authority immediately after he took over the DC in 2019,” Letsie explained.
“He rode on Mosisili’s coattails for far too long, which prevented him from developing his own identity as a leader.”
This delay in establishing his own political persona had come back to haunt Mr Mokhothu, according to Dr Letsie.
When some within the DC began questioning his leadership style and identity, Mr Mokhothu “felt antagonized” and saw it as a “personal attack” instead of addressing the core issues being raised.
Dr Letsie argued that Mr Mokhothu’s failure to carve out a clear, distinct identity had allowed other opposition leaders like BNP chief, Mr Mofomobe, to fill the void.
Mr Mofomobe had emerged as the “de-facto leader of the opposition,” further diminishing Mr Mokhothu’s influence.
“Mokhothu has been silent and ineffective for far too long,” Dr Letsie lamented.
“He has failed to assert himself even as the main opposition leader, so his smaller opposition counterparts do not hold him in high regard.”
In Dr Letsie’s assessment, Mr Mokhothu’s reluctance to step out of Mr Mosisili’s shadow had been the DC’s undoing.
“He basked under Mosisili’s sun for far too long,” Dr Letsie said.
“Now, the BNP leader is strategically and effectively playing his politics, taking the glory as the de-facto leader of the opposition.”
The growing exodus of prominent figures and legislators, who were leaving to join other political formations like the ruling RFP, Dr Letsie said, was compounded by the fact that the party had little to offer its members in terms of resources currently to prevent further defections.
“It is not going to be easy for the DC to survive its problems unscathed. The party currently has very little to offer its legislators and other prominent members. It does not have the resources that parties in government have. So, while it might convince some legislators to stay, some will leave for survival purposes,” Dr Letsie said.
Dr Letsie asserted that Mr Mokhothu was facing stiff competition from wealthy political figures, including former DC financier Mr Mahlala, who resigned last month to form his own party.
Mr Mahlala enjoys the support of the DC Women’s League and has already lured several prominent members, including the party’s three-time Senqu constituency legislator, Ms Tampane.
The wealthy RFP leader, Mr Matekane, was also a threat, having already attracted a DC MP, Mr Kelane, indicating that more could follow.
Another DC legislator, Maimane Maphathe, has been seen mingling with the RFP inner circle, sparking speculation that he could also be preparing to leave the party.
The RFP spokesperson, Mokhethi Shelile, has previously stated that “we are awaiting more DC MPs to join the RFP”.
“Mokhothu is competing against wealthy men in the form of Prime Minister Matekane, the ruling RFP leader, and former DC financier, Bothata Mahlala,” Dr Letsie said. “These people are ditching the DC to access resources and reinvent themselves politically.”
What made matters worse was that the DC was experiencing crippling turmoil when it should be focused on preparing for the 2027 elections
Dr Letsie noted that if the DC were in government, Mr Mokhothu could offer “carrots” to maintain control over his MPs.
“Without that leverage, the MPs are now focused on their own political futures.”
This “game of resources,” as Dr Letsie described it, had made DC legislators vulnerable to the allure of the RFP, which could offer services and support to the constituencies of any DC MPs who defected, enhancing their chances of winning re-election under the RFP banner.
“DC MPs being seen in RFP circles, it’s highly likely that more will cross the floor in parliament to join the RFP,” Dr Letsie said.
“They are not content with the situation in the DC, they are scared that they will lose elections in 2027 if they don’t bring services to their people.”
The analyst emphasized that this was a “scramble for state resources,” with the DC “unable to offer its MPs the same benefits the RFP can provide”.
As a result, DC lawmakers felt compelled to “align with the RFP to access those resources” and have “something to show their constituents ahead of the 2027 vote”.
Despite these odds, Dr Letsie said, the DC’s future was not entirely bleak.
The fact that the DC was an established brand since its formation in 2012 meant that Mr Mokhothu, still had the opportunity to turn the party’s fortunes around.
To do so, Dr Letsie advised that Mr Mokhothu would need to rebrand himself by changing his leadership style and asserting himself more.
Additionally, the DC leader should be more accommodating of veteran party members who remain loyal to it.
Dr Letsie warned that Mr Mokhothu’s confrontational approach towards those leaving the party, including his comments likening their departure to “the ocean cleansing itself,” was ill-advised.
He said such reckless utterances “have no place in the current political landscape and will not benefit him”.
According to the NUL’s Professor Motlamelle Kapa, the DC was facing challenges that affected almost every political party in Lesotho, primarily their inability to resolve internal conflicts.
“The biggest challenge in Lesotho’s political parties has been their failure to effectively manage internal conflicts,” Prof Kapa stated.
“These conflicts, arising from various reasons, have often led to party splits and counter-splits. The DC itself is a party that split from the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD).”
Prof Kapa said the DC’s inability to resolve its own internal conflicts had forced members to leave, either joining other parties or forming new ones.
“The duty of party management is to sit down and listen to members’ grievances, trying to resolve them. Failure to do so invariably leads to members departing,” he said.
Prof Kapa also noted that Lesotho’s political parties no longer have clear ideologies but were instead focused on power struggles.
“It is now about the quest for positions and personal survival, rather than any unifying ideological principles,” he commented.
While Prof Kapa was uncertain whether the DC’s current troubles would lead to its downfall, he acknowledged that the loss of members was a worrying sign for any party.
“When members leave, even if it’s just a few, it doesn’t look good for the party and can affect its electoral outcomes,” he said.
Furthermore, Prof Kapa emphasized the importance of financial resources in maintaining a party’s viability. “To effectively campaign and reach voters, parties need money. Those with financial muscle tend to gain more support,” he explained.
Prof Kapa’s assessment buttress the obvious point that Lesotho’s political parties, including the DC, face a common challenge in their inability to manage internal conflicts, which had led to a decline in ideological focus and power struggles for positions rather than serving the needs of the people.
