By Mamello Morrison
5 August 2020
Dear Dr Majoro
Let me take this opportunity to address this humble letter to you on this fifth day of an important month in the struggle to accord respect to women and recognise their worth as human beings, created in the image of God, and as leaders in their own right.
Not only is this an important month in the recognition of the rights of women but it is also the first month in the calendar of Basotho where we call upon the Almighty God to grant us plenty as we begin the sowing season. We sow in the fields and in our lives.
I have learnt with great shock that you Prime Minister, supported by the Deputy Prime Minister have called the National AIDS Commission board to inform them that you have disbanded the board with immediate effect. A statement that in our language would ring something like…. Hang-Hang which was the hallmark of military rule!
Prime Minister, let me bring to your attention a few salient features of proper human-conduct especially as you sit on that high pedestal where members of the majority party in parliament have catapulted you.
- First is the fact that those commissioners were engaged in a national endeavour of great importance. They did not volunteer their service but were appointed by the government of the day, through a letter and a contract-giving them the respect they deserve as human beings. How do you then just dismiss them without a formal letter, especially since their contracts were due to end in November this year?
- Despite the hardships they laboured under, they did some work for the nation. How do you disband them without as much of a courtesy to invite them to give you a report even if you know you will not read it? Their work was for the nation and they owe this nation a report- an opportunity you denied them. Is that a regular manner of executing public responsibilities?
- You are reported to have told them that they were “irregularly” appointed which begs the question who appointed them irregularly? Were they not appointed by the same democratically-elected government of which your deputy was a member? Did the DPM not personally submit the name of the youth representative or both of you were in such an undignified hurry to get rid of them that you even forgot to recall these simple realities?
- Chairing the same board is no less a dignitary than the President of the LECSA Seboka. I do not even wish to question your Christian allegiance, but I only wish to ponder whether such an important national figure is one who would be subjected to such ignominy, with clear consciences of course.!
Prime Minister, when you were elevated to this high position, much as I had no knowledge of your skills or prowess, your education was enough to give me comfort that the nation will see a mark of that academic achievement in your daily discourse on national matters.
I do not know whether this is the right time to express disappointment or take it that you have had a long review of this anomaly and therefore the wisdom of our ancestors will prevail upon you.
Sir I beg you to do the right thing- which I need not spell out for you-for doing that would be an insult to your intelligence and integrity as a public figure.
Rest assured that indeed the time to be indifferent observers is over- some of us cannot, with clear consciences remain true to our constitutional obligations and watch this sad catalogue of errors become a permanent feature of our governance system.
We shall continue to remind you of the luminary wisdom of the founding father of Lesotho politics that “Babusi ba busoe ke babusuoa” (leaders should be governed by the governed) which you took the liberty to quote not so long ago.
Please accept, prime minister assurance of my highest considerations.
Mamello Morrison
Ms Morrison is a member of the opposition Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD). She served as Senior Private Secretary to then Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili during the seven parties’ coalition from 2015 to 2017.
