Ntsebeng Motsoeli
OPPOSITION Democratic Congress leader Mathibeli Mokhothu yesterday tore into Prime Minister Thomas Thabane’s administration over its alleged failure to ensure efficient service delivery to the nation.
Mr Mokhothu called on Dr Thabane to do the honourable thing and step down due to his alleged failures which had caused unrest among various sections of society including civil servants, wool and mohair farmers as well as police officers.
The youthful opposition leader said this while addressing about 400 DC supporters at a rally in Kolo, Mafeteng yesterday.
Teachers, wool and mohair farmers and youths have all taken to stage protests demanding salary increments, better pay for their produce and improved service delivery.
Police have also embarked on an unprecedented job action to demand salary increments.
Mr Mokhothu said all these groups were within their rights to press government to address their grievances.
“Lekhoakhoa (Dr Thabane’s clan name) promised to increase salaries for civil servants. He claimed that Lesotho had enough money to give M1 million each to every Mosotho. He promised to give six percent increments to police officers but he has failed. Where is the money now Ntate Thabane? Give the police their salaries,” Mr Mokhothu said.
“This (police strike) has never been heard of in a long time. The police have every right to demand their salary increments. The teachers are demanding for improved salaries too and rightly so. The youth are demanding employment and the wool and mohair farmers have to be paid.
“The current government is an enemy of democracy. News reporters can quote me Mathibe Mokhothu Smartman on that one.”
He added that government was sabotaging the country’s access to universal education by delaying payments to caterers at primary schools.
He said the infighting in Dr Thabane’s All Basotho Convention (ABC) had helped reveal how the party factions controlled the judiciary. He charged that Dr Thabane had control over the High Court while the Professor Nqosa Mahao-led faction had the upper hand in the Court of Appeal.
“The divisions in the All Basotho Convention have exposed them. Now we can all see clearly that one faction has a hold on the High Court while the other has the appeal court. They have suspended Chief Justice Nthomeng Majara and they are using Acting Chief Justice Maseforo Mahase. As it stands we have two chief justices. Now they want to fire Appeal Court judge Kananelo Mosito. His sin is resisting to dance to Ntate Thabane’s guitar. This is the nature of the wicked government we have,” charged Mr Mokhothu.