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Mosisili hails parley opening

 

As DC, LCD legislators mark occasion with song and dance

Billy Ntaote

Democratic Congress (DC) and Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) legislators marked Friday’s reopening of parliament with song and dance, with former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili describing the occasion as a “victory for the people”.

Prime Minister Thomas Thabane suspended the legislature for nine months on 10 June this year to avoid being booted out of power through a no-confidence vote, and only lifted the prorogation following protracted mediation by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was appointed by SADC last month to facilitate peace talks between the country’s feuding politicians resulting in the Maseru Facilitation Declaration, was among the several dignitaries and observers who attended Friday’s ceremony.

Under the Maseru Facilitation Declaration signed on 2 October 2014 by representatives of all the country’s political parties, parliament was to open on 17 October and be dissolved early December, with general elections following in February 2015.

According to terms of the Declaration, parliament would focus on the poll budget and other election-related matters until its dissolution, after which parties would concentrate on preparing for the vote, which is coming two years ahead of schedule due to the collapse of the coalition government because of sharp differences among its leadership.

In an interview with the Sunday Express soon after King Letsie III had declared the parliament open, former premier and DC leader, Dr Mosisili said the day called for celebration as there can never be democracy in any country without parliamentarians playing their oversight role.

“What transpired today marked a huge development in our democracy as the people’s voices can now be heard after being silenced since June.

“Victory lies with the people as parliament expresses the voices of the people in a democracy.

“As a result of this reopening, we are very happy as the DC; democratic rule is not complete without a functional parliament.

“We should remember that even ministers are born out of parliament, which is why suspending it results in the crippling of democratic rule. So we are really excited that parliament has been reconvened and we thank (SA) Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa for facilitating the process,” Dr Mosisili said.

Asked if all the stakeholders would honour the Maseru Facilitation Declaration to the letter—that legislators should not attempt to remove the premier again through a vote-of-no-confidence, which prompted his prorogation of parliament—Dr Mosisili said: “In that Declaration, we committed ourselves to working according to three main pillars, which are the constitution of Lesotho, the laws of Lesotho and democratic principles. We are truly committed to working according to that Declaration as the parliament of Lesotho.”

Dr Mosisili—whose peaceful handover of power in June 2012 to the coalition government comprising the LCD, Dr Thabane’s All Basotho Convention (ABC) and Basotho National Party (BNP) after his three-month-old DC had failed to win an outright majority to remain in government, won him immense respect at home and abroad—also told the Sunday Express that he had always known the government would not last its five-year term.

“If people can remember, I had always advised our party members to be prepared for elections. It was clear to me, from the onset, that we would not get to 2017 with this shaky, coalition government that only had a simple majority of 61 seats in parliament.

“That is why after the elections in 2012, I was repeatedly saying let’s be prepared for elections. So from May 2012, my party has been preparing for elections,” said Dr Mosisili, who was Lesotho premier for 15 years.

On his part, the Mechachane Constituency Member of Parliament (MP), Apesi Ratšele of the LCD, also told the Sunday Express that his party was committed to what was agreed upon in the Maseru Facilitation Declaration.

“We are happy that parliament has been reopened and we are now headed for elections. We are going to honour the agreement our leaders signed and there will be no attempt to unseat the Prime Minister through a vote-of-no-confidence whatsoever, which was one of the undertakings of the Declaration.

“We are in here to prepare for the elections in February next year and make amendments that are needed for the smooth-running of the poll,” said Mr Ratšele, who is also the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftainship and Parliamentary Affairs.

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