Something very unusual has just happened in Lesotho’s politics. It’s not something that I think should go unnoticed because it is an issue of monumental significance.
Ntate Maimane Maphathe, the legislator for Matelile, has just defected from the Democratic Congress (DC) to that other party that promised us the as yet to materialize revolution for prosperity.
It is not the defection that matters, perse. It is Ntate Maphate’s intention to quit politics and start a business. By joining the RFP, he believes he can smoothen his ambition to transition into business. I disagree with that approach. But that does not make his ambition to at least venture into business less significant.
“At this point, I am preparing to retire from politics in the next two years and focus on business. Politics have become expensive. Competing with someone like Lebona (Lephema), who is my best friend and a billionaire, is impractical. He can invest M70 million in elections, or M40 million across constituencies in just three months. How does one compete against that?” Ntate Maphate told this national masthead in a recent interview.
He added: “I want to establish a construction company, and since RFP is in power, working with them would facilitate that process…I am not leaving DC out of spite. Unlike those fighting for political positions, my departure is purely driven by a different vision.”
He then hits the nail on the head by criticizing the tendency of congress politicians “to avoid entrepreneurship in favor of government employment and power struggles”.
He correctly cites the dinosaur, former Deputy Prime Minister and Alliance for Democrats (AD) founder, Monyane Moleleki, who should have long disappeared from the local political scene but still lingers on, obviously because he lacks an alternative source of living outside an MP’s measly wage.
“The problem with congress people is that they don’t like starting businesses. They prefer employment, which is why they constantly fight for power. At my age—about 60 years—why should I fight for political positions? Look at Mr Moleleki; he could have retired earlier and avoided unnecessary humiliation (of himself as he fights for influence in the few seats AD),” said Ntate Maphathe.
Mr Maphathe correctly states that political positions are not hereditary, whereas businesses can be passed down to future generations.
“My children will not inherit my role as an MP, but they can certainly inherit a business. In the history of Lesotho’s politics, only one case stands out—Mr Lehata, whose father was an MP before him. Not everyone is that fortunate. So, I must build a business that my children can sustain when I step away.”
These are the best words Scrutator has ever heard from a local politician in decades. I could be wrong, but with political parties being formed every day and every wannabe Mosotho “politician” stampeding to try and get a PR seat to earn a living wage, I have never encountered a politician who actually quit politics to enter into business. In fact every Mosotho wants to be a politician, which explains why the IEC has run out of space to keep files of registered political parties or those seeking registration. Imagine if we had more politicians like Ntate Maphathe stampeding to avoid infighting in their political “parties” to actually do some real work like forming businesses? There would be no unemployment in Lesotho.
I may disagree with Ntate Maphathe seeking to join the RFP first to smoothen his way into business. That suggests he might be seeking to become yet another tenderpreneur, yet what we need are real businessmen and businesswomen who create real stuff. There is nothing wrong though with seeking state tenders when you are out of political office. I wish he had just quit the DC and gone straight into business without the RFP caveat.
The mere fact that we have a politician actually thinking of starting a business and quitting politics altogether to focus on business is a rare piece of good news. I say a big congratulations to you Ntate Maphathe. I wish you all the success. Whether you start a car wash, a spaza, an off -sales or any other venture, I will be your regular patron. If you manage your businesses well and succeed, you will become a poster child of success. We don’t need millions of political parties, with each one enmeshed in serious infighting, to take this country forward. We need fewer politicians but more capitalists who can actually start and run businesses. Congratulations once again Ntate Maphathe on your wisdom of quitting politics to start a business. I wish you all the luck. Please don’t wait two years to quit politics. Do it now.
Thank God, Ntate Sam for refuting a US State Department memo that you have offered to send our young Basotho men and women in uniform to go and die in the failed state that inexplicably calls itself the “Democratic” Republic of the Congo (DRC) in an effort to appease that S.O.A.B called Donald Trump by protecting American mineral interests there.
After all, why on this earth should we even seek to have our young people die to appease a man who believes that ours is a country that “nobody has ever heard of”.
When I read the story of the State Department memo, summarizing your crass offers, I was not only spooked, I was deeply angry. How surely can we as Basotho sell our souls to appease a mad-man and fascist demagogue like Trump. Of course, Ntate Matekane’s claim that he never made any offers to Trump should be taken with two drums of salt because one of his reported offers has since proven to be true, i.e the granting of a telecommunications license to Trump’s fellow madman and Nazi, Elon Musk.
It is definitely a very curious coincidence that Ntate Sam denies ever having made any offers to Trump, just as one of them is being confirmed by his regime. Scrutator will nonetheless not accuse the Prime Minister of lying. That would be very rude. After all, he is a politician. All that can be suggested is that he seems to have been economical with the truth. That’s a less stringent way of putting it.
Anyway, one of the claimed offers to Trump has proven true.
Trump, and his fellow Nazi, Elon, now have a toehold in their grand ambition to colonise the country they have never heard of.
Our giant neighbour South Africa has been very cautious in granting Musk’s corrupt Starlink, a communication licence. Moreso because in typical Nazi style, Musk came with his own rules. He wanted the license on his terms. He just got it. What a fumble.
Any principled Mosotho should shun Starlink. I will not patronize it even if it emerges with the lowest pricing. I will stick to Econet and Vodacom, the long standing telcos that have done a lot to develop this country. Even if I am offered Starlink for free, I will reject it. No penny of mine will subsidize racist fascists like Trump and Elon. Let’s not forget that it’s Elon who gave us Trump. Since elections in America are bought and their supposedly literate voters are always up for grabs to the highest bidder, Trump won that election at the expense of sister Kamala because of the billions Musk poured into his campaign. And when Trump besmirched us by claiming we are a non-existent country, Musk did not raise a finger. He did not even mention that we indeed exist because he had met our Ntate Matekane.
No, no, no. Not a penny of mine will go to Hitler. Giving money to Starlink is akin to legitimizing Trump’s insults of our Kingdom. And many thanks to Zapiro for portraying Trump and Musk, and little Marco Rubio for the fascists they are.
I urge all right-thinking Basotho to stick with Econet and Vodacom. Happy Easter holidays with family not nyatsis.
Ache!!!!
