Caswell Tlali
MASERU — Divisions have rocked constituencies where the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) party has more than one member of parliament, the Sunday Express can reveal.
Ironically the divisions have been allegedly caused by MPs who got into parliament through the proportional representation (PR) system.
This comes at a time the LCD government is refusing to give in to pressure from opposition parties to reverse the PR seat allocations.
The opposition parties accuse the LCD of cheating them in the allocation of the seats.
The infighting within the LCD is fierce in constituencies where the ruling party has two MPs — one elected through the ballot and the other appointed through the PR system.
At the time of making the decision, the LCD had hoped that the appointment of two MPs would widen representation for some constituencies.
But that tactic has backfired and is allegedly threatening to damage the party as MPs battle for control of both party structures and membership.
The infighting within several constituencies over who should be regarded as the constituency leader has ripped apart committees to an extent that in some regions the LCD failed to nominate candidates for local government by-elections.
Constituency committees are also allegedly underperforming because of the divisions.
The LCD’s national executive committee has been battling to control the damage that sources say is threatening the party’s support base.
Yet even in constituencies with one MP there are fights over who should control the party at that level between the committee and the legislator.
There are also battles between MPs and senators.
Constituencies which have given the LCD leadership headaches include Thupa-Kubu, Mohale’s Hoek, Tele, Hlotse and Matlakeng.
In Thupa-Kubu, the party members are divided between Mpiti Mosiuoa, the elected MP, and ’Matlotliso Lebajoa who became a legislator through the PR system.
In Matlakeng constituency, there is a battle between Mothobi Nkhahle (elected) and ’Mafalatsi Lekhatla, a PR system appointee.
Mohale’s Hoek constituency is divided between party chairman Thabang Pheko and Tahleho Mabetha, a PR legislator.
The LCD following in Hlotse is split between Home Affairs Assistant Minister Lineo Molise, who got in parliament through PR, and the constituency’s senator, Maphoka Motoboli.
Moseme Makhele, who became the Hlotse MP through the ballot, is also said to be part of the power battles in the constituency.
“People have formed small groups behind parliamentarians although we have not publicly launched war against each other,” an MP who requested anonymity said.
“The people are divided between their own MPs and those who entered parliament through the PR system whom they say are appointees of the national executive committee.
“They argue that the national executive committee should give them their right to choose their own people who will represent them in parliament, whether it is through the PR or the FPP (first past the post).”
A highly placed source in the LCD told this paper that factionalism had spilled over even to other constituencies with only one MP.
The constituencies included Butha-Buthe, Teyateyaneng, Mphosong and Mabote.
“There are divisions because our people have a tendency to listen to anybody who is an MP or a minister and ignore instructions from their constituency committees,” the source said.
“The presence of two MPs from the same constituency causes a lot of confusion because the people end up not knowing who they should listen to.
“To them, an MP or a minister has authority and should be listened to.”
LCD general secretary Mothetjoa Metsing told the party’s leadership conference last Saturday that the national executive committee was working hard to try to unite members in affected constituencies.
Metsing said this problem had destabilised the party at constituency level.
“We thought that the constituencies would benefit by having two MPs but unfortunately this has caused divisions,” Metsing said.
“The general secretary’s report recommends that the national executive committee should put strategies in place to solve this problem and to review the manner in which PR seats are allocated with the purpose to improve.
“The committee should do that while there is still time.
“The national executive committee has not made a decision on the matter.”
Metsing said the national executive committee gathered public opinions in the districts and it was recommended constituencies should nominate candidates for PR seats as they did in the 2002 elections.
“It is suspected that the way candidates were nominated this time is the one causing frictions,” he said.
“It is suspected that since members divided themselves according to their candidate of choice and they remained divided even after their candidates were given the seats.
“In 2002 the constituencies nominated candidates who would compete for appointment at district level by all constituencies according to the PR list.”
Metsing said in other constituencies the party had to disband all committees starting from the village level.
This matter was also part of the agenda at the party’s general conference in January.
At that conference delegates accused MPs of causing confusion in the constituencies and dividing party followers.
The delegates also complained that the MPs, who included ministers, were trying to attract attention to themselves and make people compromise their loyalty to the party.
The national executive committee was tasked with restoring unity in the affected constituencies, including Hlotse.
Motoboli and Molise were singled out as MPs who were clashing.
Pheko, the party’s national chairman, told the Sunday Express in an interview that the LCD national executive committee was aware that the selection of PR candidates in 2007 had confused most party members.
“This situation is causing some problems in the constituencies as it seems the people were not fully content with that suggestion,” Pheko said.
“They agreed to it when it was made at the general conference and it was resolved that those who got second position in the constituency candidacy race would become parliamentarians through the proportional representation.
“Its rejection later came as an afterthought.”
Pheko said Metsing’s report last weekend was the national executive committee’s invitation to the leadership conference to give direction as to how the nomination of PR candidates should be done.
Pheko however refused to be drawn into issues that particularly affected his constituency.
“The general secretary’s report did not mention Mohale’s Hoek,” he said.
“We were only discussing the problems the constituencies have in general.”
At that conference delegates accused MPs of causing confusion in the constituencies and dividing party followers.
The delegates also complained that the MPs, who included ministers, were trying to attract attention to themselves and make people compromise their loyalty to the party.
The national executive committee was tasked with restoring unity in the affected constituencies, including Hlotse.
Motoboli and Molise were singled out as MPs who were clashing.
Pheko, the party’s national chairman, told the Sunday Express in an interview that the LCD national executive committee was aware that the selection of PR candidates in 2007 had confused most party members.
“This situation is causing some problems in the constituencies as it seems the people were not fully content with that suggestion,” Pheko said.
“They agreed to it when it was made at the general conference and it was resolved that those who got second position in the constituency candidacy race would become parliamentarians through the proportional representation.
“Its rejection later came as an afterthought.”
Pheko said Metsing’s report last weekend was the national executive committee’s invitation to the leadership conference to give direction as to how the nomination of PR candidates should be done.
Pheko however refused to be drawn into issues that particularly affected his constituency.
“The general secretary’s report did not mention Mohale’s Hoek,” he said.