Billy Ntaote
The National Executive Committees (NEC) of Lesotho’s three ruling parties—namely the All Basotho Convention (ABC), Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and Basotho National Party (BNP)—meet again today to formulate a roadmap towards resolving their conflict and re-opening parliament on 19 September 2014, as per SADC’s recommendation.
The three NECs held their first meeting yesterday, which was chaired by BNP deputy leader, Joang Molapo, and meet again today at 2pm to continue their discussions aimed at restoring political stability to Lesotho.
Chief Molapo told the Lesotho Times that yesterday’s meeting was only for “confidence-building” between the warring factions, whose parties formed a coalition government in June 2012, but have since fallen out over a number of issues, among them lack of trust.
Chief Molapo said yesterday: “Today’s meeting focused much on building confidence among the coalition government partners. The intention was to break the ice and find confidence in one another. We started to talk in a manner that would take us forward as coalition partners.
“We also openly shared our grievances over issues that have been causing conflicts amongst us as government partners.”
Chief Molapo further said it was “the common understanding” that from today, the partners would address issues which have been the source of friction among them.
“We committed ourselves to tackling issues that have, since the beginning, been the source of friction among us, as government partners. From tomorrow, we will start working on a roadmap (towards resolving their differences and re-opening of parliament that Prime Minister Thomas Thabane prorogued for nine months on 10 June 2014),” Chief Molapo said.
According to an agreement signed on Monday this week by ABC leader, Dr Thabane, Mothetjoa Metsing of the LCD and Thesele ‘Maseribane of the BNP, the parties agreed on taking certain the steps leading to Parliament’s re-opening on 19 September .
The declaration compels the three coalition parties to hold a joint meeting of their executive committees on 3 September (yesterday), meet with King Letsie III on 5 September “to advise him on lifting the prorogation of Parliament” and to ensure the re-opening of Parliament on 19 September 2014.
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