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DC youths disown Metsing attack

 

dc-supporters-1024x577. . . as LCD takes aim at Lirurubele faction

Mohalenyane Phakela

THE Democratic Congress Youth League (DCYL) has distanced itself from an attack on the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and its leader, Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, saying relations between the parties “had never been better”.

This was after three people who claimed to speak on behalf of the DCYL, on Thursday accused Mr Metsing on a Molisa ea Molemo FM breakfast political programme of plotting to destabilise the DC during a secret meeting popularly called linakeli.

The trio also claimed the LCD strategically held the secret meeting on Sunday last week in Hololo, Butha-Buthe where the DC also held its rally on the same day to forge alliances with factions within Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili’s party.

The Sunday Express has since established the identity of one of the three people as Lineo Mohapi although efforts to contact him were unsuccessful yesterday.

The following day, LCD youth league officials also featured on the same radio programme denying the allegations.

LCDYL President Motlatsi Maope told the Sunday Express this past week they decided to pour cold water on the allegations after being assured by DCYL Secretary-General Letuka Chafotsa the trio was not speaking on behalf of the party.

“When we heard those people speaking on air, we immediately contacted Mr Letuka who told us they never sent anyone to speak on their behalf,” said Mr Maope.

“We were surprised by the whole incident because our relations with the DC are very strong hence the decision to call him (Mr Letuka).”

He said the LCD’s meeting in Hololo was prescheduled and merely coincided with the DC rally.

“Our trip to Hololo was planned two months prior to the DC rally. It was part of our ongoing programme of visiting different party district committees,” Mr Maope said.

“The programme started in Qacha’s Nek last week and we will be in Quthing this weekend.”

The LCDYL boss laid the blame for the allegations against Mr Metsing on a DC faction popularly known as Lirurubele (butterflies) that is linked to DC deputy leader and Police Minister Moleleki. Another faction, Lithope, (loosely translated to girlfriends) is also linked to Dr Mosisili.

“After we learnt there is a group called Lirurubele which is trying to bring commotion between the two parties, we met on 3 August 2016 and agreed to constantly engage each other to address any areas of concern,” said Mr Maope.

“I also hope we will meet again in the near future along with the other coalition parties to draw a roadmap for overcoming this challenges.”

The DC formed a coalition government with the LCD, Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), Basotho Congress Party (BCP), National Independent Party (NIP), Lesotho People’s Congress (LPC) and Popular Front for Democracy (PFD) after the 28 February 2015 general elections resulted in a hung parliament.

The DC won 47 of the 120 parliamentary seats on offer, while the LCD, PFD, BCP, LPC, MFP and NIP took 12, two, one, one, one and one seat respectively.

For his part, Mr Chafotsa denied ever dispatching the trio to speak on their behalf when contacted by this paper.

The DCYL secretary-general said he only became aware of the matter after receiving phone calls about the radio programme.

“I have been getting calls since Thursday from different people, including the LCDYL spokesperson, asking me about what ‘we’ have been saying on radio stations about the LCD plotting to sabotage our party,” said Mr Chafotsa.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t listen to the radio programme and the allegations made. However, I can tell you for certain that the people who made those allegations were not from the DC youth league. We never sent anybody to speak about any issue and I don’t know anyone who goes by that name (Lineo Mohapi).

He added: “The people who made all those dirty allegations were not speaking on behalf of the DC and may not even be members of this party. It’s likely they are people trying to tarnish our image using false names.

“The DC has a committee for both the party and the youth league which comprises of elected officials entrusted to run the party smoothly and ensure the proper flow of information.

“In the youth league, information is either disseminated by me as the secretary-general or the publicist. It’s not just anybody who can claim to be our representative.”

He added the DC’s relationship with the LCD had “never been better”.

“We are very much in good terms with the LCD and our relations have never been better. I actually had coffee with an LCD official this morning, so those allegations were meant to spread lies and cause ill feeling between the two parties,” he said.

Meanwhile, during the rally in Hololo, Dr Mosisili warned DC members they risked scuttling the coalition alliance with the LCD due to the factionalism that dogs the party.

He said the DC was beholden to the LCD since the latter had made it possible for them to form a coalition government.

 

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