Moorosi Tsiane
FORMER Democratic Congress (DC) leader Pakalitha Mosisili has pleaded with members of his party in the Lebakeng constituency in Qacha’s Nek to teach their defected legislator Semano Sekatle a lesson by not voting for him in the next election.
Dr Mosisili told supporters who attended the DC leader rally in ‘Melikane, in the Lebakeng constituency on Sunday that Mr Sekatle was an opportunist who was lured by a ministerial position by All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader and Prime Minister Thomas Thabane last year.
Mr Sekatle, who contested for the elections under the DC banner since the inception of the party in 2012, amassed the highest votes in the party and second after Dr Thabane in the 2017 snap elections.
He however, ditched his party in December 2018 and joined the ABC and was immediately handed a ministerial position in the four-party coalition government. Mr Sekatle, who also served as DC secretary general, left the party during the build-up to the recent heated national elective conference alleging that the former DC national executive committee (NEC) made his stay in the party “a living hell”.
Mr Sekatle, who held different cabinet portfolios in the previous government led by Dr Mosisili, was the third high-profile DC member to dump the party to join one of the parties in the ruling coalition.
He followed the current Development Planning Minister Tlohelang Aumane and Deputy Minister of Education Mothepu Mahapa who left the DC last year to join Deputy Prime Minister Monyane Moleleki’s Alliance of Democrats (AD).
And addressing DC supporters at the party’s Sunday rally, the visibly agitated Dr Mosisili said DC members should stand their ground and show Mr Sekatle that he will not get the Lebakeng votes.
“As DC and congress let’s stand our ground,” Dr Mosisili said.
“Semano has become big headed because of the support he was getting from this constituency. He thinks he is cleverer than everyone now. Let us show him that he was really nothing without you and ensure that he never wins this constituency again.
“Semano publicly admitted to one of the local radio stations that he joined ABC only because he was promised a ministerial position and that says a lot about the kind of a person he is. Remember here we are talking about someone whom I recruited, made him a principal secretary in the Ministry of Local Government before I introduced him to the Lebakeng people who have been voting for him in big numbers since 2012.
“I also made him a minister many times but it is clear that he never gets satisfied and he is only out for opportunities.”
He said Mr Sekatle made a mistake by ditching the DC which made him who he is and that this was his last time going serving as a Lebakeng Member of Parliament.
“Semano was guaranteed a parliamentary post in Lebakeng until he decided to retire because DC will never lose in this constituency but now that has changed. I was also pleased to hear the constituency chairperson confirming that you are all still members of DC and I know he meant it because I know Lebakeng people very well.”
The former premier implored the supporters not to despair “because all the developmental promises to empower the Lebakeng people, which have since been frozen by the current government, were still in the pipeline and would take off as soon as the DC gets back into power”.
“It is looks that this government is not going to finish its five-year term so do not despair. We had plans for this constituency and those included the construction of a road and bridges but they have been brushed away by this government. But since it looks like it (the government) is falling, once DC gets back into power, it will continue with the plans,” he said.
Dr Mosisili also urged the supporters not to worry about the young age of the party’s new leader, Mathibeli Mokhothu saying even the founding father of the congress movement, Ntsu Mokhehle, was only 34-years-old when he formed the Basutoland African Congress (BAC).
“Congress was formed by Ntate Mokhehle back in 1952, his party was called Basutoland African Congress before it turned into Basotho Congress Party (BCP). He was only 34 years at that time and I fail to understand why people are worried that Mokhothu has been elected to lead this party at his age (41).
“If you take a look at this new NEC, it is dominated by the young blood and this means we are reforming this party. When Mokhothu was first elected as a member of parliament for Qhoali constituency, he was only 34 years old and that shows people were seeing something in him. He is not young anymore but rather, he is a man.
“This current leadership is the one which will take this party forward so let us give them all the support they need. I know from deep in my heart that this party is in right hands and never doubt that. Ours is just to work hard and ensure that we get rid of opportunists in this party,” Dr Mosisili said.
