Africa-Press – Lesotho. Alliance of Democrats (AD) spokesperson, Thuso Litjobo, cheered as Mokherane Tsatsanyane defected to his party seven months ago. He had reason to be elated because capturing an All Basotho Convention (ABC) MP was a major coup.
As far as he could see this was a sign that the AD was growing while the ABC was collapsing. It was sweet revenge against the ABC for dumping the AD to form the government with the Democratic Congress (DC), a party that Litjobo had acrimoniously left three years earlier.
Tsatsanyane was one of former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane’s staunchest supporters, having been in the party for 14 years. “This is just the beginning of great things to come and we couldn’t have been happier to witness our party growing from strength to strength daily,” Litjobo said when Tsatsanyane crossed the floor.
But allegiances in Lesotho’s politics are fickle. And when friends become foes the fight can be nasty. This week Litjobo is insinuating that Tsatsanyane sold out after he crossed to the DC.
In a radio interview, Litjobo hinted that Tsatsanyane could have been promised a job to cross to the DC. An angry exchange has thus ensued between the former comrades.
In a voice note leaked on social media, Tsatsanyane appealed to the AD secretary-general, Dr Mahali Phamotse, to reprimand Litjobo before matters escalated.
With due respect ’M’e, please talk to Litjobo. I have been told that he is talking nonsense about my name on the radio, Tsatsanyane said to Dr Phamotse.
“I would appreciate it if you can give him this voice note because if I can answer him, it would be uncomfortable for him to be a politician in Lesotho or Maseru.
He would prefer to be confined to Koro-koro. ” “I did not want to talk about the AD. So I’m asking you to talk to him because if I could talk to him, I would also include the AD.
” He said Litjobo will rue the day he became a politician if he doesn’t stop insulting him.
“If you do not stop him, I would reprimand him together with the AD.
” Tsatsanyane said Litjobo had earlier informed him that his name would be mentioned during the interview.
“I asked him to go on with the interview but with due respect.
” He said Litjobo has failed to win the Koro-koro constituency for years because he is a political novice. Tsatsanyane also accused Litjobo of leaking information in WhatsApp groups.
But Litjobo fired back with a voice note of his own, telling Tsatsanyane that he had been misinformed about what he said in the interview. “I have not hurled any insult at you,” Litjobo said, adding that he was merely answering what the presenter had asked him and was speaking as the AD spokesperson.
Tsatsanyane, he said, should stop making threats and watch his tongue because he is now a mature politician. “I will fight for truth until the last drop of my blood,” he said.
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