Machesetsa using ‘dirty tactics’, says Leuta

MASERU-OUSTED Basotho National Party (BNP) secretary general, Lesojane Leuta, has accused the party’s deputy leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe, of using dirty tactics in the succession race.
Leuta is among six other candidates who are vying to succeed ’Thesele Maseribane as party leader at an elective conference in June.

The race for the party’s top post has however degenerated into a messy affair with Leuta and Machesetsa exchanging angry barbs this week.
In a letter to the BNP secretary general, Thato Lethobane, Leuta expressed concern at the “the disgraceful manner in which Machesetsa Mofomobe, the deputy leader, conducts himself in the leadership race campaign”.
Leuta said Mofomobe “unashamedly breaches all protocols agreed upon” on April 1, 2021, “when we were issued letters of authorisation to enter constituencies for campaigns”.

He said Mofomobe was speaking ill of other contestants adding that the national executive committee has not lived up to its responsibility to ensure that all candidates behave as agreed.
“This may be because the police cannot be expected to police themselves,” Leuta said, referring to the executive committee’s failure to bring Mofomobe, one of their own, to order.

“Those members of the NEC are answerable to him, they still wish to carry his favour,” he said.
“A self-respecting and ethical person would have stepped down from that position to level the playing field.”
Leuta also complained that Mofomobe wants an unfair advantage over other candidates.

He said two weeks ago Mofomobe addressed a rally in Maputsoe where he attempted to besmirch his name and reputation.
He said he also made absurd and spurious allegations against him.
He said Mofomobe “has a penchant to lie about anything which appears to his narrow mind to be of value”.
“He claims that I have my party called ’Mutlanyana through which I won an Electoral Division seat in the Makhoarane community council,” he said.

He said because of those allegations Mofomobe says he does not belong in the BNP and has no right to contest for the leadership position.
“That kind of falsehood can only be propagated by persons of Mofomobe’s mental capacity because he is a nincompoop, he never verified the truthfulness of the allegations that I won ED’s courtesy of ’Mutlanyana party.”

He said the ’Mutlanyana issue is a figment of someone’s imagination as he used the symbol because Mofomobe was a forceful member of the cabal that was trying to push him out of the party and denied him access to BNP symbols.
He also said he wishes to point out to the general BNP membership that he has never wronged them in any way.

“What I deserve is a thunderous compliment that throughout (leader Thesele) ’Maseribane’s presidency I am the only SG who succeeded to increase the party’s tally of votes from 23 000 to 31 000 and delivered him the Mount Moorosi constituency in 2015,” he said.
He also stated that when he makes feeble accusations about him, Mofomobe never mentions that he had a stint in the All Basotho Convention (ABC) and was kicked out unceremoniously by its leader Thomas Thabane due to his “cantankerous personality”.

“He also has a sexual harassment case around his neck but which cannot be prosecuted because he has protectors in the police service,” he said.
In response, Mofomobe insisted to thepost that Leuta is a councillor under the ’Mutlanyana party flag.
“He is just mad that I told the members that he is a candidate under other parties, not the BNP that he wants to lead now,” Mofomobe said.
He said it is not fair to call on him to resign as a member of the BNP national executive committee.

Mofomobe recalled that his predecessor Chief Joang Molapo contested for elections while being a member of the executive committee.
“Both Thesele (’Maseribane) and Retšelisitsoe (Sekhonyana) too were elected to the party leadership while still members of the executive committee,” he said.
“The complaints by Leuta are just brought upon by his frustrated mind as he is sinking and needs help,” he said.

“It is also not true that I have a sexual harassment case anywhere at the police stations.”
The BNP secretary general Thato Lethobane told thepost that he received the letter but was still waiting for Leuta to go to the office and explain why he used the tone he used.
“We do not understand this letter at all and we need an explanation, we are trying to locate him,” Lethobane said.

Nkheli Liphoto