Moroke Sekoboto
MOVEMENT for Economic Change (MEC) leader, Selibe Mochoboroane, has promised that if he wins this year’s elections, his government will immediately improve the working conditions of the police, army and other civil servants. This will enable them to effectively discharge their functions, Mr Mochoboroane said.
Among other things, an MEC government would reintroduce risk allowances for members of the security agencies to ensure they were well-dressed and well-equipped, he said.
Mr Mochoboroane, who is currently Development Planning minister in the governing coalition, said this while addressing about 2000 party supporters at a recent rally in Maputsoe, Leribe.
“We may have many objectives as a political party but those goals can only be realised through public servants,” Mr Mochoboroane said.
“In our research we have established that in our efforts to reform the public service, we have to deal with the issue of low morale of civil servants.
“We will do everything possible to boost the morale of public servants so that they are motivated to perform their duties to the best of their abilities. For example, army and police officers used to get risk allowances but now that they no longer get them, they are demotivated. You can even tell by their appearance and dress that soldiers and police officers are demotivated.
“The corruption that we see is caused by the low morale of public servants. We promise to restore their (civil servants’) risk allowances to boost their spirits,” Mr Mochoboroane said.
He also promised to do away with the current practices wherein civil servants are promoted on the basis of their political affiliations. Henceforth, merit will be the only criterion for promotions, he vowed.
“We have realised that promotions of civil servants are done on a partisan basis. If an individual belongs to a certain party, he may not be hired or promoted because of that. This is another cause of low morale among civil servants. We will therefore change this and ensure that public servants are hired or promoted only on the basis of merit. These are some of the measures we will take to motivate public servants to perform their duties effectively and efficiently,” Mr Mochoboroane added.
He also took advantage of the gathering to welcome Maputsoe legislature, Sotlehang Sekhamane, into the MEC fold.
“We welcome you and your followers into the blue (MEC) family and we appeal to you to work with us as we prepare for the upcoming elections,” Mr Mochoboroane said to Mr Sekhamane.
On his part, the legislator said, “I pledge my allegiance to MEC, its constitution and Mr Mochoboroane to follow its guidelines”.
“I’m aware of the challenges facing our constituency and I know what needs to be done to overcome them. We will work tirelessly to retain this constituency to enable our party to address the challenges faced by Maputsoe people, he added.
Mr Sekhamane last month dumped the Nqosa Mahao-led Basotho Action Party (BAP) for the MEC.
Mr Sekhamane defected barely a year and two months after he, Professor Mahao and others dumped the All Basotho Convention (ABC) to form the BAP in April 2021.
All in all, 10 ABC MPs left the party to form the BAP. Prof Mahao said at the time that he had discovered a plot to oust him from the ABC by then party leader, Thomas Thabane, Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro and secretary general, Lebohang Hlaele.
But just a year on, Mr Sekhamane’s dalliance with Prof Mahao is over and he has found a new home at the MEC.
He was first unveiled before MEC supporters in Katlehong, Maseru last month. Speaking at the event, he said he had resolved to dump the BAP due to incessant squabbles in the opposition party.