Boitumelo Koloi
Maseru

Lesotho has room for a new political party, Stadium Area Member of Parliament (MP), Mophato Monyake told an All Basotho Convention (ABC) rally held in his constituency yesterday.

Monyake, who was recently sacked from cabinet where he was justice minister, told the gathering the current government had failed to deliver services, leaving room for a new political voice.

“There is enough political space to form a new political party, which will address the challenges bedevilling the people since the coalition government, like other governments that have come and gone, has failed to meet the electorate’s expectations. There is therefore, a huge space for the formation of another political party,” Monyake said.

According to Monyake, an MP was supposed to ensure, among other things, that public funds are utilised for the benefit of all people in his respective constituency regardless of political affiliation.

The MP, who was not dressed in party colours, said he was addressing the gathering as a representative of all constituents in the Stadium Area regardless of their political parties.

Monyake accused the current administration, comprising his ABC, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy and Basotho National Party, of failing to improve the lives of the people even though it was put into office on the back of promises to improve livelihoods.

“You gave me a mandate to address your concerns, including prostitution and the sale of alcohol to children who are under-age. I did my part by reporting to the relevant authorities although to this day, nothing has been done about the situation,” Monyake said.
He said the recurrent social ills which governments have dismally failed to address were proof that forming a new political party would be seen by most as the answer.

However, Monyake was quick to refute allegations that he and fellow former cabinet minister Molobeli Soulo were on the verge of leaving the ABC to form a new political party together with the deputy leader of the main opposition Democratic Congress (DC), Monyane Moleleki.
“I want to openly state that such allegations are untrue. They are like utterances from someone who has not taken his mental-illness medication,” Monyake said.

After the rally, this reporter pressed Monyake to clarify his seemingly contradictory statements. The fromer minister however, said people were free to interpret his statements the way they wanted.

Monyake further said he would not betray the people of his constituency by defecting with their vote, since he had promised to serve them.
Monyake blamed the “rumours” of his alleged intention to form a political party on “divisions” within the party.

Meanwhile, several party supporters took turns to pledge their loyalty to Monyake.
Speaker after speaker took to the podium to emphasise that they had voted for him as their MP regardless of whether he was a cabinet minister or not.