Tefo Tefo
ALLIANCE of Democrats (AD) leader Monyane Moleleki says the electoral pact between the Democratic Congress (DC) and Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) is a gimmick to attract the votes of congress movement loyalists in next month’s polls and not based on principles.
Mr Moleleki has also accused DC leader, Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, of following the congress movement ethos in words alone and not in actions, saying the premier “never attended” an annual memorial for the late congress movement stalwart Dr Ntsu Mokhehle.
However, the AD leader’s claims were dismissed by LCD spokesperson Teboho Sekata, who said the DC-LCD alliance was none of Mr Moleleki’s business since he was not a member of the two parties.
Dr Mosisili’s Political and Economic Adviser, Fako Likoti, also scoffed at the claims, saying Mr Moleleki had no basis to question the DC leader’s congress credentials since he had been a member of the movement since 1965.
Basotho go to the polls on 3 June 2017 after Dr Mosisili’s government lost a parliamentary no-confidence vote spearheaded by the All Basotho Convention, AD, Basotho National Party and Reformed Congress of Lesotho on 1 March.
Six days later, King Letsie III dissolved parliament, at Dr Mosisili’s advice, and proclaimed Saturday next week as election day.
The DC and LCD forged an electoral pact ahead of the elections to avoid vote splitting by the congress parties.
Under the agreement, which also includes the Popular Front for Democracy (PFD), the DC will contest in 54 constituencies while the LCD was allocated 25 in the National Assembly elections.
The parties will also vote for PFD leader, Lekhetho Rakuoane, in his Qalo stronghold in Butha-Buthe.
Addressing AD supporters at a rally held in Ha-Ramachini in the Berea district earlier this week, Mr Moleleki said Dr Mosisili and Mr Metsing were only using the congress brand to attract voters who supported the movement.
The rally, which was attended by AD supporters from the 11 constituencies in the Berea district, was the party’s last district rally ahead of the polls.
Mr Moleleki said the DC-LCD alliance was only meant to ensure Dr Mosisili and LCD leader, Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, retained power and not to further the congress agenda.
“When you look at the DC-LCD billboards all over the country, they urge the electorate to vote for stability,” he said.
“They are basically concerned about their own stability, not the national stability.
“They are not concerned about others people’s protection. That’s why some people fled Lesotho for South Africa over the past two years.
“From their standpoint, it is only good when they are stable, and not other people.
“Therefore we should all get prepared for the elections because the ballot papers have arrived in Lesotho. And what remains is for us to teach Ntate Mosisili a lesson.”
Mr Moleleki, who is also a former LCD and DC official, said Dr Mosisili had never attended the annual prayer session in Teya-Teyaneng held every January to honour Dr Mokhehle.
Dr Mokhehle was the founder of the congress political movement in Lesotho and also served as prime minister from 1993 to 1998. The Basotho Congress Party (BCP) and LCD founder was replaced by Dr Mosisili as premier and LCD leader in 1998.
“The late Ntate Ntsu Mokhehle died in January 1999, but Ntate Mosisili never set a foot on his grave after his burial. At least Ntate Metsing attended an annual service in remembrance of Ntate Ntsu a few times,” said Mr Moleleki.
AD Youth League leader, Thuso Litjobo, saying the pact was not a congress alliance but an agreement between two leaders to retain power.
“It is only an alliance between the two leaders and not the other congress parties,” he said.
“Remember that they left the other congress parties behind, which shows that it is not a genuine congress movement.”
Mr Sekata scoffed at the AD leader’s claims in an interview with the Lesotho Times yesterday, saying the DC-LCD alliance was none of Mr Moleleki’s business.
“Ntate Moleleki left the DC last November to form the AD. So, he should not be worried about what the parties are doing,” the LCD spokesperson said.
“In any case, the purpose of our alliance is to retain power so that we implement the congress agenda of development and empowering Basotho.”
For his part, Dr Likoti said Dr Mosisili joined the BCP in 1965 “at a time Mr Moleleki was a 15-year old boy”.
“In July 1970, Ntate Mosisili was arrested and held in custody without charge for 15 months because of his congress beliefs,” he said.
“Ntate Moleleki had his first contact with the congress movement when he went to Botswana in 1977. So, he does not have the basis or pedigree to question Ntate Mosisili’s credentials.”
