‘Maseribane blames Mosisili for fallout in govt. Published on Tuesday, 28 October 2014 00:00 Written by Mantsali Phakoana Chief Thesele Maseribane Minister says former premier ‘bewitched’ the coalition pact to collapse through his ‘water and oil’ utterances BEREA-The Minister of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation, Coalition government partner and leader of the Basotho National Party (BNP) Chief Thesele ‘Maseribane has attributed the impending collapse of the first- of-its-ki nd government to ‘bewitchment’ by former Prime Minister and leader of the main opposition party Democratic Congress, Dr. Pakalitha Mosisili. Addressing a public gathering organized by the Principal Chief of Berea Majara Masupha, Chief ‘Maseribane said Mosisili’s words soon after the formation of the coalition pact had been the reason why the ‘marriage’ is effectively headed for an early collapse. According to the BNP leader, soon after the formation of government following the 2012 general polls, Mosisili is on record as having repeatedly made a prophesy of doom against the coalition pact which he labeled “a marriage of convenience targeted at unseating the DC”, saying the pact would very unlikely survive its full five year term. The Coalition government was formed in 2012 by the three leaders the Premier Dr. Thomas Motsoahae Thabane of the All Basotho Convention (ABC), Deputy Premier Mothetjoa Metsing of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and ‘Maseribane. “When we came together and formed the country’s first coalition government to bring together Basotho who were divided on political lines of nationalists and congress ideologies for the sake of the country and its economic breakthrough, ntate Mosisili was the first person to come out with guns blazing against the pact saying water and oil (referring to our different political ideologies) would not effectively mix,” Maseribane said. According to ‘Maseribane, the former premier’s utterances were fueled by his undying desire to become Prime Minister, adding that Mosisili actually wished to see the collapse of the pact with the hope that he would be returned to occupy the seat of premier. “It is for this reason that he and his party have been trying to destabilize parliament in order to see the current administration’ s ouster through such initiatives as the vote-of- no-conf idence in government for him to be elected premier again,” he said. ‘Maseribane also took swipe at the idea that in the upcoming elections set for February next year there could be a single party that will garner the needed majority to form government alone. He said in the impending election as well as other editions of elections in the future, politicians ought to brace themselves for coalition government since there shall never again be a lone majority winner in Lesotho. The sports minister said the trend for coalition governments was steadily becoming a phenomenon not only for Lesotho but the world as a whole. “Never will we ever have a single-party government, not only here in Lesotho, but coalition governments are becoming a popular phenomenon even for other countries as well,” he said. Meanwhile, in an interview with the Informative Newspaper, DC General-Secreta ry Ralechate ‘Mokose said Mosisili’s comments about the coalition government had not been voiced in his personal capacity adding that he had actually been conveying the standpoint of the party. He said Mosisili had said this as a metaphor to indicate just how parallel the ideologies of the two political movements—congr ess and nationalist parties—are, hence equating their stance to water and oil. “Philosophicall y, Congress and National are different and do not have similar interests, based on two opposing policies,” ‘Mokose said. He said having opposite ideologies does not necessarily mean that the parties are at war with each other, adding that his leader’s view was not meant to plant discord among the coalition parties, but merely stating the fact that the two movements could not effectively work together. “Everyone has their own belief system different from those held be next person, be they religious, political or otherwise and no one can be fought or criticized for believing what they do, the Constitution of Lesotho allows freedom of expression and freedom of association,” he added. According to ‘Mokose, the DC has always been of the view that the two very different and opposing political ideologies would not ably serve the country working side-by-side. “The National party was formed to advance the interests of the elite such as Chiefs and the rich people while the Congress party was basically formed to protect the interests of the majority of commoners and the poor who were oppressed,” the DC Secretary- Gener al said.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 09:55:04 +0000
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