DEMOCRATIC Congress (DC) deputy leader Monyane Moleleki has lambasted Prime Minister Pakalitha for his stance that congress and nationalist parties were like oil and water that don’t mix, saying the premier was an obstacle to national reconciliation.
Addressing a rally this week rally in the Kolonyama constituency, Mr Moleleki reiterated his vow to work towards unifying Basotho and “bring to an end the polarisation that crippled the nation’s institutions”.
He said church leaders under the Christian Council of Lesotho (CCL) met the DC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) over the internecine strife that has rocked the party.
Mr Moleleki urged Dr Mosisili to take the church leaders’ cue by uniting with his foes for the good of the nation. The premier has insisted on numerous occasions that congress and national party followers would never be united.
“The heads of churches in Lesotho are today united as one under the Christian Council of Lesotho and they have summoned us as the DC NEC for talks,” he said.
“I will remind them that in the past, the protestant churches and the Catholic Church did not see eye to eye. But today, they are united under one organisation.
Mr Moleleki added: “However, the prime minister does not want to talk or even associate with other people because he is a member of the congress movement. My leader says the congress and the national parties are like oil and water that do not mix.”
The DC deputy leader told the gathering there was a “dire” need for Lesotho to enter its next 50 years as an independent nation united without being polarised along political lines.
“So when we get to the meeting with CCL, I will tell the heads of churches that we also want to see the political parties associating and uniting like they are united,” he said.
“Why should we be refusing to unite with one another just like the churches have done here in Lesotho? Being united does not mean that a priest from the Catholic Church will suddenly become a protestant.”
Mr Moleleki also indicated he was working towards creating an inclusive government that also includes opposition parties. The DC deputy leader has admitted to holding talks with All Basotho Convention leader and former premier Thomas Thabane to form a new government.
“Why should we be discriminatory to others? We now want to form a government of national unity that is not a minority government, but a majority government with the country’s two major parties at the fore front,” he said.
