Bongiwe Zihlangu
MASERU — Prime Minister Thomas Thabane says Basotho should desist from cheap politics and focus on key issues such as reviving the country’s business sector.
“We have to move from cheap politics that identify people by their political party’s ideology such as congress movement supporters discriminating against nationalists and vice-versa,” Thabane said.
“We have wasted too much time politicking at the expense of the livelihood and well-being of our people.”
Thabane said small businesses had been hijacked by foreigners because Basotho were too busy “bickering about politics”.
“For example, the Chinese have taken over small businesses. We have to seriously work on Lesotho’s economic development, like wealth and job creation and devise means to alleviate poverty,” Thabane said.
Thabane was addressing a press briefing following his maiden trip as Lesotho’s prime minister to the African Union Heads of States Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, last week.
The premier was flanked by Gender Minister Thesele ’Maseribane, government spokesperson and Communications Minister Tšeliso Mokhosi as well as Government Secretary Motlatsi Ramafole.
Thabane’s statement comes three weeks after former prime minister Pakalitha Mosisili attacked the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) for entering into a coalition deal with the All Basotho Convention (ABC) and Basotho National Party (BNP).
Mosisili said LCD leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing had erred because “like water and oil, congress and national ideologies don’t mix”.
Mosisili also suggested that Thabane’s ABC was a movement based on the nationalist ideology saying “if you’re part of the ABC, you’re still a nationalist”.
The AU meeting’s theme, Thabane said, was “Boosting Intra-Africa Trade” because the primary concern was that African countries traded more with international countries than with each other.
“There’s no real trade between African countries and this is the main challenge the AU is faced. We have freedom in terms of democracy but the new challenge is trade and it begins with AU member countries,” Thabane said.
Thabane also told the press conference that there were two vacancies in the AU for commissioners of the organ’s human resources and science and technology adding “Lesotho should nominate a candidate”.
Thabane’s entourage to the AU summit comprised foreign affairs minister Mohlabi Tsekoa, ’Maseribane and Ramafole.
South Africa’s home affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was elected the AU chairman for the next four years at the summit.
According to Thabane, AU commissioners for peace and stability, politics, public works and energy, social welfare and economics and agriculture had already been elected but elections for two departments had been suspended.
“The elections were suspended for purposes of the realisation of gender equality. The expectation is that the positions will be filled by males from southern and central Africa,” Thabane said.
“This is primarily because the chairman of the AU, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is female.”
Thabane said Basotho males aspiring for a seat in the AU commission should “come highly recommended”.
“We expect those male Basotho with relevant qualifications to bid for these posts in order for Lesotho to have representation in the aforementioned departments, especially economics,” Thabane said.
“They should stand out because they will be competing with the cream of the crop from the African continent.”
Ramafole said government would be expected to sponsor the nominated candidates “all the way”.
Elections for the remaining departments were expected to be held in January, Thabane said.