…urges aggrieved ABC members to jump ship and join the BNP
Moorosi Tsiane
BASOTHO National Party (BNP) spokesperson Machesetsa Mofomobe has attacked the outgoing national executive committee (NEC) of the All Basotho Convention (ABC) for refusing to hand over power to the new NEC that was elected at the ABC’s 1 and 2 February 2019 elective conference.
Mr Mofomobe, whose party is a junior partner in the governing coalition along with the ABC, the Alliance of Democrats (AD) and the Reformed Congress of Lesotho (RCL), urged aggrieved members of the ABC and other parties to join the BNP, saying it was a democratic party which respected the outcomes of internal elections.
The BNP spokesperson, who is also the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, said this while launching his election manifesto in Hlotse, Leribe, over the weekend.
The BNP was initially expected to hold its elective conference last week but it was postponed indefinitely to make way for the BNP Women’s League elective conference to be held first this month.
The BNP will follow in the footsteps of two of the country’s largest parties, the opposition Democratic Congress (DC) and the ABC who held their elective conferences in January and February respectively.
The DC conference was a smooth affair which saw veteran leader and former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili officially hand over power to the fresh-faced Mathibeli Mokhothu who polled 1681 votes to trounce his opponent, Tlohang Sekhamane, who polled a paltry 84 votes.
In contrast, the ABC’s elective conference which ushered in outgoing National University of Lesotho (NUL) Vice Chancellor, Professor Nqosa Mahao, as the deputy leader, was a highly disputed affair. A month after their victory, Prof Mahao and the rest of the new NEC have not been able to assume office due to fierce resistance from the old NEC which is fiercely opposed to Prof Mahao.
And on Sunday, the outspoken Mr Mofomobe slammed the ABC for refusing to accept the outcome of the party’s internal polls which has sparked a fierce power struggle which threatens to split the party and even collapse the government.
Mr Mofomobe, who is running against the incumbent, Joang Molapo, for the BNP deputy leader’s post said unlike other parties, the BNP was a democratic organisation where losers always conceded defeat and handed over power.
“We have democracy in this party and we don’t hesitate to hand over the reins to the winners,” Mr Mofomobe said, adding, “we are different from other parties in that respect”.
“Tell those who are in those parties where it is difficult to accept defeat that they should come and join us because here we accept defeat. As nationals we are known for democracy and that is what we stand for. There have always been elections in this party and there has never been a time when the losing faction has refused to hand over.”
Mr Mofomobe urged BNP supporters to remain united and not to allow the electoral contest to divide them and ultimately split the party.
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