. . . as date set for parly reopening
’Marafaele Mohloboli
PARLIAMENT is set to reopen on 3 November 2017, amid a bid by the opposition to oust Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and his four-party coalition government in a no-confidence motion.
The National Assembly adjourned sine die (for an indefinite period) on 7 August 2017.
Deputy Prime Minister Monyane Moleleki had earlier this month announced tomorrow as the reopening date. But, he later admitted to erring in making the announcement since it was the prerogative of National Assembly Clerk Fine Maema (King’s Counsel).
According to National Assembly Chief Information Officer Neo Mokatsa, the clerk should make the announcement at least 14 days before the opening of parliament as stipulated in Standing Order No. 14.
This provision, Mr Mokatsa said, was only dispensed with in the event of an emergency.
Earlier this month, two opposition parties submitted a no-confidence motion on Dr Thabane and his administration after just four months in power.
The governing alliance consists of Dr Thabane’s All Basotho Convention (ABC), Alliance of Democrats (AD), Basotho National Party and Reformed Congress of Lesotho.
The parties cobbled together their 63 seats to form Lesotho’s third coalition government after the 3 June 2017 National Assembly elections resulted in a hung parliament.
They ousted a seven-party government led by Democratic Congress leader (DC), Pakalitha Mosisili, which failed to last the distance after assuming power in March 2017.
Dr Mosisili’s DC and six other parties that constituted the former government could only muster 47 seats collectively, which were 14 short of the 61-seat threshold to form government.
The “four-by-four” coalition, as it is widely known, also added one seat from the opposition after the snap elections when the DC’s Tlohelang Aumane joined the AD. The alliance added three more seats after the ABC won the 30 September 2017 by-elections in Thupa-Kubu, Hololo and Teya-teyaneng #24 constituencies.
As it stands, the governing coalition has 67 seats, while the DC and Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) have 40.
However, on 12 October, the DC’s legislator for Qalabane, Motlalentoa Letsosa, and the LCD’s Lineo Tlali submitted the notice for the no-confidence motion to Advocate Maema KC.
The duo wants exiled DC deputy leader, Mathibeli Mokhothu, to take over from Dr Thabane in the event the no-confidence motion is successful.
Mr Mokhothu fled the country in August this year citing “suspicious vehicles” at his home and alleging persecution of opposition leaders by the government. Also in exile is LCD leader Mothetjoa Metsing and his deputy Tšeliso Mokhosi who also allege persecution by the government.
The DC is the official opposition party in parliament, and its spokesperson, Serialong Qoo, told this publication the opposition had engaged some “disaffected” legislators from the government side who had committed to jump ship.
Mr Qoo said they had initially committed to allow the government to serve its full five-year term but “this had proved impossible”.
He also asserted that the DC-LCD bloc would be joined by other opposition parties in the no-confidence motion.
However, the government has dismissed the no-confidence motion as a “publicity stunt” that is bound to fail.
In a previous interview with this publication, Communications Minister Joang Molapo said the no-confidence motion had “no chance” of success since the governing alliance has a superior number of seats in the august house.
