’Marafaele Mohloboli

THE media attaché at Lesotho Embassy in China, Motsamai Talla, says Government Secretary (GS) Lerotholi Pheko is “incompetent and petty”. This because he is allegedly failing to give All Basotho Convention (ABC) members jobs in foreign missions.

The accusations were made in the context of Mr Pheko’s alleged refusal to appoint ABC members seconded for various foreign mission posts by party leader Nkaku Kabi.

The accusations are contained in a WhatsApp audio clip that has since gone viral.

The audio clip is the part of the prolonged fight between Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro and his nemesis, ABC party leader, Mr Kabi where the later has been trying to wrestle the premiership from the former.

This after Mr Kabi beat Dr Majoro to the ABC leadership post earlier this year. However, despite losing the internal party elections, Dr Majoro has refused to let go of the premiership.

In the audio clip, Mr Talla accuses Mr Pheko or failing to respect Mr Kabi by failing to follow his directives.

Mr Talla, who is a former Harvest FM radio presenter, says he does not care if Mr Pheko expels him.

“Leader, GS, you are just being so petty,” Mr Talla says in the clip.

“Even if you were to clip wings and expel me or call me drunk, my name is Talla, you are incompetent. You can’t say that you don’t know the people who have been posted in the missions while you are Government Secretary.

“Ntate Lerotholi Pheko, and now you tell me that I’m drunk, and you will only speak to me when I’m sober. Is that how you reduce people and pull them down? We are trying to discuss party issues with you, and you call us drunk. No, that’s not the way to deal with issues.

“If we were to name the people you have appointed to the embassies, and your relationships with them, you would be shocked.”

He also accuses the GS of destroying the ABC instead of following the example of his predecessor Moahloli Mphaka who united the party during his tenure.

“Ntate Pheko don’t destroy the party, Dr Moeketsi Majoro is not up for this nonsense. Please do the mandate you have been given and unite this party like former GS Moahloli Mphaka did. Don’t embarrass us. Please mould the ABC (by working with) those you love and those you hate alike.

“We are following Kabi, so please respect him and follow his instructions because he is in charge. I don’t know who you think you are. Ntate Pheko, please just do as you are told so that you don’t catch us by surprise by appointing people we don’t know,” Mr Talla says.

Contacted for comment, Mr Pheko said he would not entertain Mr Talla’s accusations.

“Tallä is no one to accuse me of anything. I am not answerable to him, and I owe him no explanation whatsoever. Everyone is at liberty to say what they like depending on how they were brought up. He has exercised his democratic right and his bosses will know how best to deal with him,” Mr Pheko said.

Efforts to get a comment from Mr Talla were fruitless this week as he did not respond to calls on his mobile.