Bongiwe Zihlangu
THE Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) is set to haul eight of its members, among them suspended Secretary General Keketso Rantšo, before a disciplinary hearing for alleged misconduct.
The other members are Mojaki Lesenyeho of Taung constituency, Sekoati Kolisang of Thaba-Bosiu, ‘Maketso Motjope and Nyepetsi Mlongeni of Ha-Mabote, Lebohang Khonyane of Machache, Moshe Kopanye of Mphosong and Rorisang Mokoena of Stadium Area.
According to the party’s Deputy Secretary General Tšeliso Mokhosi, the eight are being charged with contravening Section 5.12 (c) of the LCD constitution.
“They went against resolutions made by the LCD leadership conference in 2012, that no members of the party should be heard in the media speaking against the party and saying things that put it into disrepute,” Mr Mokhosi said.
The party has also issued a circular dated 19 September, announcing to the constituencies, that disciplinary measures would be taken against the eight.
Mr Mokhosi added there was a group of LCD members who, when the party announced that it was ready to sever ties with its coalition government partner, the All Basotho Convention (ABC) led by Prime Minister Thomas Thabane “chose to go against that decision”.
“They went on to hold press conferences whereby they berated the LCD and its leaders for the decisions taken by the party regarding our position in the coalition,” Mr Mokhosi said.
“Some of them roam the LCD constituencies without the mandate to do so, dragging the name of the party through the mud.”
Mr Mokhosi, who is also the Minister of Energy, Meteorology and Water Affairs, further criticised Ms Rantšo for “having a negative influence” on the LCD members she has been charged with, saying “it seems they are learning all this from her”.
“When one looks at things closely, it becomes apparent that these members are copying this bad behaviour from ‘M’e Rantšo,” Mr Mokhosi said.
“As a senior and very prominent member of the LCD, who is also a minister (of Labour and Employment), she seems to have a huge influence on these members.”
Asked what could have angered Ms Rantšo and pushed her to the point of encouraging insubordination on the LCD, Mr Mokhosi said it was not necessarily anger, but that she was “allowing herself to be used”.
“I think she has subjected herself to being used by some people against the LCD, who want to sow confusion in the party,” Mr Mokhosi said.
“I don’t think it’s because of her suspension that she’s behaving like this, because she knew that she could still appeal her suspension at any of the LCD conferences.”
Ms Rantšo is believed to be leading an LCD faction called Mabolekana, which is opposed to the newly forged relations between the LCD and former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili’s main opposition Democratic Congress (DC).
According to Mr Mokhosi, Ms Rantšo seemed to have forged an alliance with enemies of the LCD, namely the ABC and Basotho National Party (BNP), adding “she even fled the country with them”.
“We now know who her allies are because she fled the country to South Africa, along with the PM and his camp last month,” Mr Mokhosi said.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Ms Rantšo said she could not dignify Mr Mokhosi’s charges against her with a response because “all he’s saying is all but speculation”.
“I will not respond to Mokhosi’s charges,” Ms Rantšo said.
“Where was I, when those people organised press conferences, and entered constituencies without the mandate to do so?”
She added it was unfair of Mr Mokhosi “to claim that I have a lot of influence on the people he’s talking about”.
When quizzed about fleeing the country with LCD’s “foes”, Ms Rantšo demanded to know why “Mokhosi never assured me not to leave”.
“If he says I fled the country with those people, what is it that he did to assure me not to flee?” Ms Rantšo asked.
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