Pascalinah Kabi
THABA-TSEKA – MOVEMENT for Economic Change (MEC) leader, Selibe Mochoboroane has called on the electorate to shun cheap propaganda that has divided Basotho along congress and nationalist lines, saying they should vote for his party which has clear policies to address the country’s developmental challenges.
Addressing his followers at a recent rally in Thaba-Tseka, Mr Mochoboroane accused his political rivals of focusing on the divisive congress and nationalist politics instead of addressing the pertinent bread and butter issues that affected Basotho.
He said given this background, MEC would go it alone in the forthcoming 3 June elections, as they were the only party with clear policies that could grow the country’s economy and enable Lesotho to join the ranks of developed nations.
“If you look closely there is currently no political party with clear policies on how they are going to make our economy viable and ensure that our country truly develops,” Mr Mochoboroane said.
“They are concentrating on the cheap propaganda of congress and nationalists forgetting that people don’t eat congress and nationalist politics. We eat food, we need to have access to services and this is what MEC is promising after the June 3 elections.”
His remarks came against the backdrop of preparations for national elections on 3 June 2017 which were announced by His Majesty King Letsie III after last month’s dissolution of the Ninth Parliament.
His Majesty dissolved parliament after the opposition successfully carried a motion of no confidence in the coalition government headed by Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.
Dr Mosisili who leads the Democratic Congress (DC) party recently implored the congress parties to join hands to ensure a resounding victory and thus form a stable government that can last the distance after the national elections.
The DC also announced an election alliance with deputy Prime Minister, Mothetjoa Metsing’s Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) party and there were rumours that MEC would join the pact.
However, Mr Mochoboroane refuted this, saying the allegations were made by “prophets of doom” who did not know what they were talking about.
“June 3 will be the judge of who is stronger between us and our elders in government and I need to make it known today that we are not in an alliance with LCD or DC,” Mr Mochoboroane said, adding that the veteran trio of Dr Mosisili, All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader, Thomas Thabane and Alliance of Democrats (AD) leader, Monyane Moleleki should all retire from active politics.
“MEC is going for elections on its own and the three leaders must go home and rest because their time is up.
“I will not mock them because they are my elders but they must realise that their time is up because in modern politics there is no place for propaganda.”
Mr Mochoboroane said he was confident MEC would win the elections and in the event they did win outright, they would only consider a coalition with other parties on condition the veteran trio were not involved.
“We will only partner with fresh blood that will help us to ensure the public has access to quality road facilities, clean water and electricity.
“But if no one meets these conditions, we will become a loyal opposition and work hard to ensure that we become the next government.”
Singing his campaign song of “roads, water and electricity,” he vowed to take the country from “ashes to riches,” saying they would not rest until Lesotho was well developed.
He promised his government would build proper and adequate infrastructure in Thaba-Tseka, saying “people should not be forced to migrate to town simply because they want to access water, electricity and proper roads”.
He said Lesotho’s 51 years on independence was meaningless because the country remained dependent on South Africa.
He also promised a review of the education curriculum “to ensure that it incorporates entrepreneurship as a subject”.
“We want to introduce Basotho to business as early as possible as this will ensure that that they are business-minded and don’t expect to be employed. Venturing into business must be Plan A for future generations,” he said.
He said his party was going to push for a policy to exempt tertiary graduates who venture into business from paying back the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) loans. This would be on condition the business is sustainable and creates at least 10 jobs.
Meanwhile, Mr Mochoboroane described as ill-advised the recent decision by Dr Mosisili to fire Small Business Development Minister, ‘Mantoetsi Mohatonyane.
Ms Mohatonyane was sacked last week on the advice of her former party, LCD and this came after she officially announced that she had ditched the LCD for MEC.
Incidentally, Ms Mohatonyane replaced Mr Mochoboroane who was fired from the ministerial position after jumping ship to lead the MEC in January this year.
He said the latest dismissal as a desperate act by a “dying horse” which would not help the outgoing coalition government partners to retain power after the elections.
He expressed satisfaction with the attendance of at least 1000 people, saying it was a success compared to the attendance at an LCD rally in the same area five years ago.
“In 2012 while I was still with another party (LCD) we came here to hold a rally ahead of elections but we dismally failed.
“So I am happy to see that we have gathered here in numbers,” he said.
