Mohloai Mpesi
THE fate of Lesotho’s reforms hinges on the consciences of individual legislators across the political divide and their will to serve their country.
This is according to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Limpho Tau, who further asserts, that it is the responsibility of every legislator “to act with responsibility” when voting for Omnibus Bill clauses that require two-thirds majorities to pass.
Mr Tau spoke to the Lesotho Times last night, after his and Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s return from the 44th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in Harare, Zimbabwe over the weekend. It ran under the theme: “Promoting innovation to unlock opportunities for sustained economic growth and development towards an industrialised SADC”.
A SADC communique issued at the end of the summit, noted the “positive developments” in relation to Lesotho’s national reforms, further urging Mr Matekane’s government and political parties in parliament to “expedite the passage of the tenth, eleventh and twelfth Amendment to the Constitution Bills, 2024 (Omnibus Bill)”.
The summit also lauded the SADC Panel of Elders led by Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, and the Mediation Reference Group “for their on-going support to the comprehensive reforms process in the Kingdom of Lesotho”, further reiterating support towards the successful completion of the reforms process.
However, the Lesotho Times understands that when addressing the SADC summit, Premier Matekane reported that despite the inroads his government had made to drive the process, Lesotho’s opposition parties remained hellbent on not fully participating in the reforms until all their demands had been met, such as the removal of army commander, Lt-Gen Mojalefa Letsoela, from the helm of the military.
In that regard, the summit told Mr Matekane that the SADC Panel of Elders had already conveyed those concerns, and that the regional body would continue to engage the opposition.
However, Mr Tau told the Lesotho Times, that the government would not consider sucking up or “buying in the votes of opposition parties” as those were “cheap and mediocre politics that should not be entertained”.
After all, Mr Tau said, all legislators knew why they were in parliament, and it would be a shame if the reforms failed to pass in their presence “when they had every opportunity to participate”.
The opposition political parties have always remained adamant that they would not cast their votes for two-thirds majority clauses unless the government satisfied their conditions.
In October 2023, the opposition condemned the country’s three security agency chiefs after they issued a joint statement deemed as “intimidating”. Former Commissioner of Police, Holomo Molibeli, former National Security Service (NSS) Director- General, Pheello Ralenkoane and Lt-Gen Letsoela directed opposition legislators, to abandon their motion of no confidence against Premier Matekane and instead focus on completing the reforms process. They vowed not to allow a change of government unless the reforms were completed. The government has hitherto refused to entertain such demands.
The Omnibus Bill is divided into three segments, namely, the Tenth Amendment, which contains clauses that require a simple majority vote; the Eleventh Amendment which requires two-thirds majority votes and the Twelfth Amendment, which requires two-thirds majority and a referendum, due to double-entrenched constitutional clauses.
Minister of Law and Justice, Richard Ramoeletsi, tabled the Tenth and Eleventh Amendments in the National Assembly on the 6th of May 2024. The Bills were referred to the relevant portfolio committee for consideration, in terms of standing order N0. 51 (5).
The National Assembly is currently dealing with the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution Bill, 2024, which contains simple majority clauses.
It was against this background, that Mr Tau told the Lesotho Times, that for the reforms to see the light of day, it would require the individual consciences of lawmakers.
Those who would want to sabotage the reforms just to get at Mr Matekane were not fit to be MPs in the first place and hopefully those who elected them to serve the country will be watching to hold them accountable in the future.
“Every MP will vote with their own conscience when in parliament. We are not going to be buying any MP. When we reach such amendments (that require a two-thirds majority vote), every parliamentarian will vote in a way that they see fit, without going into the trouble of wanting to be purchased to support the reforms,” Mr Tau said.
“When the Twelfth Amendment comes, we will cross that bridge when we get to it. Every MP knows why they went to parliament, and must act responsibly…..
“Every parliamentarian will vote according to how they view things. Even from the government, there are MPs who can refuse based on what their conscience says. No one will be coerced or bought to support the reforms
“Every MP will vote however they want. If we reach the two-thirds majority we hope for, for such clauses, well and good. But if we don’t get the two-thirds, the reforms will fall off.”
According to Mr Tau, each MP would be gnawed by their conscience, “when the reforms fall off during their time as MP”, yet they had an opportunity to participate fully and get the reforms across the finish line.
“How would they feel, if the reforms fail under their watch?” he questioned.
“Look at the ABC which is in the opposition. They declared their support for the reforms. It is a matter of MPs’ consciences. We also have SADC which has undertaken to support the government of Lesotho to finality.”
He narrated how Mr Matekane had updated the SADC Troika on the reforms on Friday afternoon. The Troika then submitted a consolidated report to the SADC summit.
“While presenting his report on the reforms, he was supported by former President of Tanzania, Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete who presented his report of experts.” Said Mr Tau.
“He (Dr Kikwete), indicated that there was progress on the reforms, and they also presented their observations.”
Mr Tau said the plan was to pass the Tenth Amendment before the end of August.
“Expectation is that before end of August, the Tenth Amendment should have passed in the lower house and referred to the Senate. Troika approved that report and vowed to continue assisting the government of Lesotho,” he said.
