Bongiwe Zihlangu
MASERU — The All Basotho Convention (ABC) party suffered another knock on Friday when Mabote constituency MP Thabang Nchai left the party to join the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) party.
Nchai’s floor-crossing has whittled down the number of ABC MPs, which is the main opposition party by way of parliamentary seats, to 12 from an original 17 which the party had acquired in the 2007 general election.
In his resignation letter titled My Resignation from the ABC read out by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Sephiri Motanyane, Nchai said he wished to cease to be part of the ABC “starting today October 21, 2011”.
“I came to the decision after consulting with members of my constituency and we all agreed that we would enjoy more development if we were to work together with the LCD,” he said.
Nchai’s defection to the LCD comes a month after the Lithabaneng constituency MP Motumi Ralejoe also left the ABC to join the ruling party when Ralejoe defected ABC leader Thomas Thabane said he was not worried because Ralejoe ws an incompetent MP.
But on Friday Thabane seemed disappointed and taken aback by Nchai’s departure.
After Motanyane had finished reading Nchai’s letter of resignation, Thabane quickly left the august House, with a handful of his MPs in tow.
However, Nchai’s crossing was not as dramatic as Ralejoe’s as there were no LCD members clad in party regalia to welcome him.
Present though were LCD leader Pakalitha Mosisili and deputy leader Lesao Lehohla who shook his hands and embraced him.
However, opposition MPs were furious that parliament had not been adjourned for the official opening of the new referral hospital on the same day, adding that they had been forced to come “just to see Nchai crossing to the LCD”.
Two weeks ago the Sunday Express had been reliably told that he had had meetings with Mosisili to discuss a package should he cross to the ruling party.
Nchai later told this paper that he was indeed seriously considering “moving house” but he was put off by the factionalism rocking the LCD much as he was frustrated by the ABC “which we all thought was a progressive party”.
“The truth of the matter is that I’m seriously considering moving to the LCD. I’m currently in talks with top LCD officials to discuss this issue. Just last week I was with one of the party’s top brass,” Nchai said then.
When contacted on Friday, Thabane called Nchai’s defection “a tragedy”.
“I liked Nchai when I first met him. We were working from opposite camps in the LCD and him in the BNP. I am a little sad that he has made this drastic departure,” Thabane said.
“It is a bit of a personal tragedy for him. Had he gone to the BNP, I’d have smiled. But going to the LCD is a tragedy. But it does not threaten the ABC at all.”
“He and I have never exchanged a bad word. Even he cannot say there was ever a fight, not with me or any other member of the ABC leadership”.
However, the ABC leader was quick to add that he doubted Nchai was given a mandate by the Mabote people to join the LCD.
“I suspect he crossed on his own. I am yet to verify that.
“I’ve already established that Motumi Ralejoe left alone. Ever since he left, the Lithabaneng constituency is performing very well,” Thabane said.
Nchai said he was not leaving the ABC with a broken heart.
“I came into the LCD of my own accord. Nobody touted me to join the party. I joined voluntarily, that’s all I can say,” he said.
“If there were any conflicts, I am sure the ABC will work hard towards ensuring that it succeeds as a political party.”
Quizzed about whether he had faith that the people who encouraged him to join the LCD would support him in the 2012 election Nchai said: “Before you contest in elections, you first gauge your strength and assess whether you have the mass appeal to get people to choose you”.
“Let the people make their decision at the primary elections.”
In September 2008, the ABC MP for the Mokhotlong constituency Lehlohonolo Tšehlana deserted the party to form his own Senkatana party.
Tšehlana was swiftly joined by the ABC MP for the Lithoteng constituency Eliabe Mokhanoi who has since become Senkatana party’s deputy leader.
Then in May 2009, the party’s Maputsoe MP, Nkhetše Monyalotsa defected to the LCD.
Observers say as the 2012 election approaches, the LCD will continue to lure ABC MPs.
This, observer say, will give the impression that the ABC has lost direction and support.
It also provides the LCD with fodder for propaganda and campaign gimmick, the observerws note.