Name and shame absent MPs — Lemphane-Letsie

…as MP proposes reading attendance register in every sitting

Mohloai Mpesi

MEMBERS of Parliament who routinely absent themselves from sittings could soon have their names read out in the National Assembly as part of a proposed “name and shame” strategy to force them to attend.

HOPE-Mphatlalatsane leader, Machabana Lemphane-Letsie, has urged Speaker of the National Assembly, Tlohang Sekhamane, to introduce the reading of MPs’ attendance registers at every sitting.

She made the proposal on Friday after the House spent more than 10 minutes waiting to commence business because it could not reach the minimum quorum of 30 MPs.

Only 28 of the 120 MPs had reported for duty on Friday.

Ms Lemphane-Letsie, a Proportional Representation MP who also chairs the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and has become known for aggressively questioning government ministries, departments and parastatals over financial management, procurement and other governance issues, said MPs should be made to answer “present” or “absent” when their names are called.

She argued that publicly identifying absent MPs could pressure them to attend Parliament, particularly because they continue receiving their salaries and allowances despite failing to attend sittings.

“Would it become a problem to include being called present and absent in our administration? I am saying this because we sign an attendance register that indicates those who are present and those who are absent, like school children, as a way of a name-and-shame strategy of a Member of Parliament who continues earning, yet they don’t come to work,” she said.

“Maybe this will put fear in Members of Parliament and propel them to attend Parliament sittings.”

The proposal comes against the backdrop of a long-running battle over absenteeism that has dogged the Eleventh Parliament since it was elected in 2022.

Mr Sekhamane and his deputy, Tšepang Tšita-Mosena, have repeatedly raised concerns over MPs’ failure to attend sittings, with the absenteeism at times disrupting parliamentary business.

Ms Lemphane-Letsie earlier this year also called for a “no work, no pay” policy for MPs who fail to attend Parliament.

She argued that it was unfair for MPs who did not report for duty to receive the same remuneration as those who attended and performed their parliamentary duties.

Mr Sekhamane subsequently proposed that legislation be introduced to provide for MPs to lose their seats because of persistent absenteeism.

Despite these interventions, absenteeism continues to affect the functioning of the National Assembly.

On Friday, Mr Sekhamane told the House that it could not commence business because the required quorum of 30 MPs had not been reached.

“Some of our laws that govern this House require that we must have adequate numbers. This House is made up of politicians, and we can’t continue if the numbers don’t reach 30. There is nothing we can do when we don’t make 30,” he said.

“From the time I entered this House, we had not reached 30, and we could not start work.”

The Speaker also revealed that he had recently been criticised on a local radio programme over his failure to resolve the problem of absenteeism.

Mr Sekhamane said he had been particularly embarrassed because the person making the criticism was someone he had worked with for many years and who otherwise praised his performance.

“I was listening to local radio last week where there were guests. I have worked with one of the guests for a very long time and in different sectors. He is someone who respects me a lot,” he said.

“He said as for the Speaker, he has worked very well where I have worked with him, even now he is working very well, but as for non-attendance of MPs, it has defeated him. I felt ashamed.”

Mr Sekhamane said absenteeism was a disgrace because MPs were elected to represent the public and should therefore be present when Parliament is sitting.

“This defeated me because it is a disgrace when an MP is not sitting in Parliament. Today we are adjourning but people are not here,” he said.

He said Parliament would soon convene training for legislators and that absenteeism would form part of the programme.

Mr Sekhamane also indicated that Ms Lemphane-Letsie’s proposal to read the attendance register could be considered.

“This is time to name and shame. It is an unfortunate thing. I didn’t want to… I respect MPs very much, because there is no better respect than being elected to represent the public in Parliament,” he said.

“You are correct, we will consider this issue to get it right. Very soon, we will have training for all MPs, and it will include strategies to ensure that MPs attend Parliament, and this will form part of it,” he said.

The House was subsequently adjourned for the Independence Break by Leader of the House Nthomeng Majara.

Ms Majara moved that the House adjourn until Monday, 12 October 2026, at 2.30pm.

“That when this Honourable House rises today, Friday, 25 September 2026, it do adjourn until Monday, 12th October, 2026, at 2.30 p.m. for Independence Break,” she said.