POPULAR Front for Democracy (PFD) leader, Lekhetho Rakuoane
’Marafaele Mohloboli
POPULAR Front for Democracy (PFD) leader, Lekhetho Rakuoane says decentralisation and inclusion of stakeholders in policy planning should inform the next government’s policies.
Mr Rakuoane said this while addressing a joint rally with the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and Democratic Congress (DC) parties that was attended by approximately 5000 supporters in Hlotse in the Leribe district early this week.
The elections were announced by King Letsie III after the Pakalitha Mosisili-led seven parties’ coalition government lost a vote of no confidence to the opposition bloc in parliament on 1 March.
The PFD, LCD and DC have since agreed on an election alliance meant to avoid splitting votes by the congress parties.
In terms of the electoral agreement, the parties will field one candidate for each of the country’s 80 constituencies.
The DC will contest in 54 constituencies while the LCD was allocated 25.
The parties will also vote for PFD leader, Lekhetho Rakuoane, in his Qalo stronghold in Butha-Buthe.
Mr Rakuoane said the country’s economy would continue to be stagnant as long as government did not decentralise its policies including the budget to all the 10 districts.
He also called on all those who would be appointed to government positions to declare their assets, saying this would help in combatting the scourge of corruption.
“Local government should be decentralised in the true sense and this decentralisation should be protected by the constitution,” Mr Rakuoane said, adding, “The constitution is our central pillar and we would like to see our policies being protected by the constitution”.
“It should also be clear where local governments gets its budget from and what it’s used for so that it can be fully accounted for. It should be autonomous and refrain from being sustained on hand-outs.”
He said it was also important to include all stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation.
“No matter how good the policies are, so long as they are not inclusive of other stakeholders they are irrelevant and will never be implemented. Hence we as PFD are calling for a commission to deal with the needs of farmers and other associations.
“There should be laws looking into the establishment of a commission where chairpersons of respective organisations together with government’s officials can be asked to account as a team. There should be nothing for the people without the people.”
Mr Rakuoane said during his tenure as Home Affairs Minister, he had been fortunate enough to have been entrusted with ensuring hundreds of thousands of Basotho regulated their stay in South Africa by applying for and obtaining the Lesotho Special Permit (LSP).
The LSP was negotiated in 2016 between the Lesotho and South African governments.
“It was a privilege for me to have been tasked with the LSP when it was also a part of our manifesto.”
He also appealed to supporters to cast their votes as this was the only constitutional way of holding politicians to account.
“Go and prosecute those you think have wronged you by the use of your fingers (to vote),” he said.
Meanwhile, Meanwhile, PFD deputy leader, Thabang Kholumo has expressed confidence his party will win the Qalo constituency in next week’s national elections.
Mr Kholumo, who is also deputy Minister of Education, said, “We are pretty much sure that we will win that (Qalo) constituency”.
