THE Democratic Congress has suspended all of its rallies scheduled for September including the one slated for Ha Foso today.

According to the party’s spokesperson, Serialong Qoo the DC executive committee decided to put the rallies on hold until the leadership conference scheduled for next month.

However, a source close to the matter who requested anonymity said the rally suspensions were a result of the heckling DC leader, Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, and other senior officials were subjected to during a rally held last Sunday in Hololo, Butha-Buthe.

During his address, in which he called for party members to unite, Dr Mosisili was constantly interrupted and jeered.

Some of the DC members came to the rally wearing T-shirts emblazoned with both Dr Mosisili and his deputy, Police Minister Monyane Moleleki’s images in contravention of a party directive to only have the premier’s image.

So intense has been the internecine strife in the DC that two factions have emerged, with Lithope (loosely translated to girlfriends) linked to Dr Mosisili and Lirurubele (butterflies) linked to Mr Moleleki.

The Lirurubele members accused Dr Mosisili during his speech of planning to defect to the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) along with Lithope affiliated members of parliament. The DC is an offshoot of the LCD after Dr Mosisili led the split from the party in 2012.

However, the premier has on numerous occasions denied the allegations, saying defecting to the LCD would effectively mean relinquishing the prime minister post since it belonged to the DC as agreed in the seven governing parties’ Coalition Agreement.

The source said the rallies were also suspended because Lirurubele members were agitating for Mr Moleleki to take over the leadership of the party.

Infighting within the major party in the governing coalition has intensified in recent months, with DC Youth League leader Thuso Litjobo threatening to “expose” Women’s League boss Dr ’Matumelo Pontšo Sekatle’s “personal secrets”, saying the Local Government minister was working with “outside forces” to destroy the party in May this year.

He also accused Dr Sekatle, who has been linked with the Lithope faction, of despising Mr Moleleki, saying it was “the root cause” of the internecine strife in the DC.

In July, Mr Litjobo and youth league Secretary-General Letuka Chafotsa, also made sensational allegations Finance Minister Dr ’Mamphono Khaketla had attempted to solicit a M4 million bribe from a joint venture company shortlisted for a multimillion-maloti tender to provide vehicles and related services to the government.

Dr Khaketla, who is also DC treasurer, has since denied the allegations, and demanded M6 million from Messrs Litjobo and Chafotsa as compensation for the “defamatory statements”. – Staff Writer/LeNA