’Marafaele Mohloboli
ALARMED by rampant corruption and poor service delivery, members of the All Basotho Convention (ABC) in the Ha-Abia constituency on Thursday urged Prime Minister Thomas Thabane to resign.
The members have also demanded that the premier within seven days instructs the minister of police to arrest all the suspects accused of having a hand in the death of his late estranged wife, Lipolelo Thabane.
The members also accused Dr Thabane of losing interest in the affairs of the constituency and said they had given up on him.
The members said this during a press conference at Super Clean carwash in the premier’s Ha-Abia # 37 constituency.
However, the press conference was not without drama as pro-Thabane supporters also came to the venue and started hurling insults at the conveners threatening to unleash violence against them. The media and National Security Service (NSS) members present at the conference were also held in the middle of the drama for close to 10 minutes. The two groups were accused of meddling in the issues of the ABC.
They were rescued by the arrival of the police who had been called in.
But not even the insults could dampen the spirits of the conveners who seemed determined to address the media.
Addressing the media, ’Mamotheo ’Molaoa said they were convinced that Dr Thabane had lost interest in his constituency adding that the situation is also exacerbated by his advanced age.
She said they elected a candidate who was keen to uphold the rule of law and hated corruption in all its forms but were concerned that sleaze was thriving unabated under his watch.
“We have tried to meet him on several occasions hoping that he would give us reports and updates from parliament but all we have had are promises,” Ms ‘Molaoa said.
“We have given up as we are aware that he is tired. We are aware that he is now old and his energy is depleted so he cannot handle the affairs of the constituency and those of the government. The Thomas Thabane that we elected is not the same as the one we see today. The one we elected upholds the rule of law, cherishes this nation’s welfare and yearns for this nation’s unity. He abhors corruption and theft in all its forms but today all these are happening at a very high rate under his watch.
“We are aware that he has lost control of his cabinet and the civil servants because he has made promises that he has failed to keep. People are taking advantage of his old age and doing as they wish”
Ms ’Molaoa said it was apparent that some other people were running the country’s affairs while hiding behind the premier for their own benefit. She however said they were worried that they may end up making him “do things that are detrimental to him and the country”.
“We are tired of seeing him being embarrassed nationally and internationally.
“It is our responsibility as people who elected him to save him from this situation. Ntate Thabane has served this nation selflessly over the years but things have changed and he can’t afford to keep his standard. It is against this background that we appeal to him to resign from parliament, as Prime Minister and from politics so that he can rest,” Ms ’Molaoa said.
She also said the premier must direct the Police and Public Safety minister to arrest suspects named in the investigations into the death of his ex-wife.
Ms Thabane was gunned down two days before Dr Thabane’s inauguration in 2017. Last month Dr Thabane’s daughter, Advocate ‘Mabatšoeneng Hlaele, allegedly attacked the First Lady, ‘Maesaiah Thabane, suggesting that she had a hand in the death the premier’s former wife.
Adv Hlaele, who is also the wife to ABC secretary general, Lebohang Hlaele, said this in an astonishing tirade captured in a leaked audio clip of her recorded audio message to a relative, Selimo Thabane. In the audio, Adv Hlaele is heard suggesting that the First Lady had a hand in the murder of Dr Thabane’s former wife, Lipolelo Thabane in June 2017.
Although the audio was leaked last month, it appears to have been recorded in July 2019, shortly after Dr Thabane addressed a rally in Qeme and hit out at Adv Hlaele for taking up the cudgels on behalf of the premier’s antagonist, Professor Nqosa Mahao in the battle for control of the ABC.
And on Thursday Ms ‘Malaoa gave the premier seven days to instruct the Police minister to make arrests in the unresolved case.
“We also advise him that within seven days he should direct the Minister of Police that all suspects in the murder of his estranged wife Lipolelo Thabane be arrested now that we know investigations have been wrapped up by the SADC Oversight Committee.
“We go down on our knees to Abia constituency electorates and the whole Basotho nation that they may not judge ABC just because our MP and premier has lost control of things. We do hope that he (PM) hears out,” the statement concluded.