News

Mahao says they want me dead

Published

4 years ago

May 4, 2021

THE exodus of people from the ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC) to join the newly formed Basotho Action Party (BAP) has made headlines here and abroad. This is because there was expectation that this would cause the coalition government led by Dr Moeketsi Majoro to collapse.

There were claims that ABC deputy leader Professor Nqosa Mahao would leave the party with a lot of MPs. thepost’s chief reporter Majara Molupe had an exclusive interview with Professor Nqosa Mahao, the BAP leader. Below are excerpts from the interview.

What is the difference in policy between the ABC and BAP? How do you distinguish them?

We are still developing a programme of the party which would come out clear about what we are actually promising the Basotho nation as a whole. We have just launched the party and registered it on Tuesday. We are currently gathering the materials. The constitution of the party has also been drafted and released.

What is in store for Basotho that other parties do not have?

In essence, the BAP has three core values that it stands out from the crowd with. We need a clean government. The resources of this country are finished by corruption. There is politicisation of public service posts. Everyone wants to be employed by the government. And if that does not happen, they would start a commotion. We also want to uphold the rule of law as a party. In 2017 when the ABC came into power, it wanted to implement the rule of law but it failed dismally to do so. It abandoned it and the results are there for everyone to see.

It is our mandate as a party to have a productive economy outside the state. There are no jobs and all these years we have been talking about improvement of the private sector but that never saw the light of day. So this has resulted in political instability because people want to be afforded jobs through political connections. The cake is very small. The private sector has to be improved so that jobs are created and the economy is rebooted. There is a structural problem about the economy.

Have you not broken away from the ABC merely because you wanted a leadership post? This is because some ABC supporters have always fought hard that you do not get any leadership post in the party. Is it because you wanted to be the leader?
I have been chased out of the ABC. People who did not see eye-to-eye with me connived with each other simply to throw me out of the party. They plotted to boot me out of the party at a meeting in Makhoakhoeng. They did not see that it was a serious risk because I have left with many people. This has gravely weakened the party. My departure from the party has created a landslide. People are now leaving the ABC in droves to join the BAP and other parties.

I was the symbol of credibility for the ABC. Those who have remained behind in the ABC are now stunned by what is happening. These are the people who want action, vision and direction. They are following me. The people who are following the ABC are those in the urban and peri-urban set ups. For example, people from Mokhotlong town, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Berea, Maseru, Mafeteng and Mohale’s Hoek. Those places are the ABC’s belt. These are the people who have access to radios and other forms of communication.

They could see when someone is doing wrong. They are following me. It is only swathes of populations in the hard to reach areas of the country who do not support the ABC. We have many political parties in the country.

Why can you not join them instead of forming your own political party?
It is because these people have been cut from the same cloth. Joining them would be a waste of time. But it depends on what Basotho want. I cannot stand here and say I have formed the party. I have not formed the party. I have been instructed by the people to leave the ABC and form a new party.

They told me that they would leave for other parties if I did not pay heed to their request. Politics is like fish, if there is no water, fish can’t survive. When I saw people leaving the ABC I had to follow them. I have been instructed to form the party. People demanded so.

Wasn’t there any other means to solve the party’s woes than leaving it?

We fought for almost two years in the party. The other warring faction was even plotting to eliminate me. At some stage, there were attempts to kidnap me. But I survived all those plots. I have been tipped off by my adviser from a well-known house here. I have been patient for two years. It is not a little time. God had saved me during my stay in that party. Let me save what remains of my life. So I decided to leave so that those who did not love me should have peace.

Critics say you are a greenhorn in politics, an academic who knows no political battles. What’s your take on this? Is it not true that in much of your adult life, you have been watching politics from a distance? You recently became active in party politics.
They know politics of constant failure. I hate politics of lies and corruption. I do not know them. If they wanted me to know such politics, they would be correct. Basotho are tired of these false politics. The people who are saying this about me are those who have achieved nothing in their lives. Ask them what they have achieved. Some of them have been shop stewards. It is only their highest claim to fame.

Others have only achieved to marry the former prime minister’s daughter. And it is only their claim to fame. There is nothing more they could mention. Let them give me all sorts of names. Doing so, they are exposing themselves more to the public with lies. Let them label me in whatever way they wish. How come I have defeated them in politics? When the ABC held the NEC election, I was hindered to enter the race by those who do not want me.

They would always throw banana skins in my way so that I could be frustrated. Still, I defeated them at 3am. My name was included in the ballot paper at 4am. At 5am, the election time started and I won. I have been dragged to court many times so that I could not take part in the ABC executive affairs.

News

Knives out for Molelle

Published

3 days ago

January 13, 2025

The Post

MASERU

KNORX Molelle’s appointment as the Director General of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) in February 2023 could have been illegal.

The Law Society of Lesotho has told Prime Minister Sam Matekane that Molelle was appointed without being admitted as a legal practitioner in Lesotho, as required by law.

The society claims the information came from a whistleblower on January 2 and was corroborated by its roll of legal practitioners in Lesotho.

The society says the appointment violates section 4 of the Prevention of Corruption and Economic Offences Act 1999 which states that a person shall not be appointed as the DCEO director general unless they have been admitted as a legal practitioner in terms of the Legal Practitioners Act.

In the letter, Advocate Ithabeleng Phamotse, the society’s secretary, tells Matekane that this requirement “is not a mere procedural formality but a substantive qualification essential to the lawful appointment of the Director General”.

“The absence of such qualification fatally impairs the appointment ab initio, rendering it null and void from the outset,” Advocate Phamotse says in the letter written on Tuesday.

The society argues that if left unaddressed the illegality undermines the credibility, effectiveness and legality of the DCEO’s operations and exposes the kingdom to serious risks, including challenges to the lawfulness of decisions and actions made by Molelle.

“Should it be confirmed that the appointment was made in contravention of the mandatory legal requirements,” Advocate Phamotse said, “we respectfully urge you to take immediate corrective action to rectify this glaring irregularity”.

Advocate Phamotse tells the prime minister that if the appointment is not corrected, the society would be “left with no alternative but to institute legal proceedings to protect the interests of justice and uphold the rule of law in Lesotho”.

“We trust that you will accord this matter your highest priority and act decisively to avert further damage to the integrity of our governance structures.”

The Prime Minister’s spokesman, Thapelo Mabote, said they received the letter but Matekane had not yet read it yesterday.

Matekane is on leave and is expected back in the office on January 14.

Questions over the validity of his appointment come as Molelle is being haunted by the damaging audio clips that were leaked last week.

The clips were clandestinely recorded by Basotho National Party leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe.

In some of the clips, Molelle appears to be describing Matekane and his deputy Justice Nthomeng Majara as idiots. He also appears to be calling Law Minister Richard Ramoeletsi a devil.

In other clips, he seems to be discussing cases. thepost has not independently verified the authenticity of the audio clips.

Staff Reporter

News

Massive salary hike for chiefs

Published

3 days ago

January 13, 2025

The Post

MASERU

THE government has increased the salaries for traditional leaders by a massive 88.5 percent.

This means that a village chief not appointed by a gazette will now earn M3 001 a month, up from the previous salary of M1 592. That means village chiefs will now earn an extra M1 409 per month.

A village chief, or headman, appointed by a gazette has moved from M1 966 to M3 567 per month.

Above a village chief is one with jurisdiction over a small cluster of villages, a category three chief, who now moves from M3 768 to M5 181 per month.

A category four chief, known as ward chief, has moved from M4 455 per month to M7 993.

The category five chief, who reports directly to a principal chief, will now earn M10 674, up from M9 939 per month.

There is no increment for principal chiefs.

The government says the budget for chiefs’ salaries has moved from M129.4 million to M208.3 million annually.

The hike follows a series of discussions between the Lesotho Workers Association, representing the chiefs, and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship.

The revised salaries will be implemented with effect from April 1, 2025.

According to the settlement agreement, a discussion about raising the lowest salary of M6 000 for the lowest-ranking chiefs will be revisited in October 2025.

Chiefs who spoke to thepost have expressed satisfaction with the hike, saying it will significantly improve their lives.

Chief Mopeli Matsoso of Ha-Tikoe in Maseru said his previous salary of M1 500 per month would now be doubled, which would improve his life and help provide smoother services to the community.

He stressed that they used to close the offices while going out looking for jobs to compensate for their little salaries.

“Now the people will get smoother services,” Chief Matsoso said.

“The offices will forever be open,” he said.

Chief Matsoso said the salary hike will also serve as a motivation for other chiefs.

Chief Tumo Majara of Liboping, Mokhethoaneng, also expressed his gratitude.

Chief Majara acknowledge the positive impact the salary review would have, especially as a new officeholder.

“I guess we are all happy, that review will help a lot,” he said.

The Principal Chief of Thaba-Bosiu, Khoabane Theko, said the salary increase of chief is a welcome move by the government.

“I’m yet to study how the new salary structure looks like. But I welcome it as a good move by the government,”Chief Theko said.

Nkheli Liphoto

News

Maqelepo says suspension deeply flawed

Published

3 days ago

January 13, 2025

The Post

MASERU

Motlatsi Maqelepo, the embattled Basotho Action Party (BAP) deputy leader and Tello Kibane, who was the party chairman, have rejected their suspension from the party arguing it was legally flawed.

The BAP’s central executive committee on Tuesday suspended Maqelepo for seven years and Kibane for five years. The suspensions became effective on the same day.

The party’s disciplinary committee which met last Wednesday had recommended an expulsion for the two but that decision was rejected with the committee pushing for a lengthy suspension.

Maqelepo’s suspension will end on January 7, 2032 while Kibane’s will run until January 7, 2030.

Their suspension letters from the BAP deputy secretary general Victoria Qheku, say they should not participate in any of the party’s activities.

“In effect, you are relieved of your responsibility as a CEC member and BAP deputy leader,” Maqelepo was told in the letter.

“You were found guilty by default on all charges and the committee recommended your immediate dismissal from the party,” the letter reads.

On Kibane, the verdict states that the committee decided to mitigate the recommended sanction by reducing his suspension to five years.

“In the gravity of the charges, the suspension affects your membership in the BAP parliamentary caucus from which you are removed as a chairman.”

They were suspended in absentia after they refused to attend the disciplinary hearing, which they said was illegal.

In response to the suspension, Maqelepo wrote a letter addressing the BAP members in general, defying the committee’s decision to suspend them.

He has called for a special conference, appealing to party constituencies to push for it, citing the ongoing internal fight that includes the leadership’s decision to withdraw the BAP from the coalition government.

Maqelepo also said the central executive committee is illegally in a campaign to dissolve committees in the constituencies and replace them with stooges.

He reminded the members that there is a court case pending in the High Court seeking an interdiction to charge them in the party’s structures without approval of the special conference that he is calling.

He said the party leadership should have awaited the outcome of the case before proceeding with any disciplinary action.

“The party that is led by a professor of law continues to do dismissals despite the issue being taken to the courts,” Maqelepo said.

The party leader, Professor Nqosa Mahao, is a distinguished professor of law.

Maqelepo said they would write the central executive committee rejecting its decision to suspend them, saying they will continue taking part in party activities.

He said their fate in the party is in the hands of the special conference.

He appealed to all the party constituencies to continue writing letters demanding the special conference.

Both Maqelepo and Kibane received letters on November 28 last year inviting them to show cause why they should not be suspended pending their hearing.

They both responded on the following day refusing to attend.

Maqelepo, Kibane, Hilda Van Rooyen, and ’Mamoipone Senauoane are accused of supporting a move to remove Professor Mahao from his ministerial position last year.

They were part of the BAP members who asked Prime Minister Sam Matekane to fire Professor Mahao, who at the same time was pushing for the reshuffling of Tankiso Phapano, the principal secretary for the Ministry of Energy.

When Matekane ignored Professor Mahao’s demands, the latter withdrew the BAP from the coalition government much to the fierce resistance of the party’s four MPs.

Maqelepo started touting members from constituencies to call for a special conference to reverse Professor Mahao and the central executive committee’s decision.

The central executive committee issued a circular stopping Maqelepo’s rallies but he continued, with the support of the other MPs.

In the BAP caucus of six MPs, it is only Professor Mahao and ’Manyaneso Taole who are supporting the withdrawal from the government.

Nkheli Liphoto