Africa-Press – Lesotho. It’s been three months since Monyane Moleleki lost control of the Alliance of Democrats (AD) to Professor Ntoi Rapapa but the wounds are still fresh and tempers are also still high.
Party insiders say Moleleki and Professor Rapapa have not talked to each other since the party’s elective conference in April. Nor have they attended the same party meeting.
And so it did not come as a surprise when Moleleki openly snubbed Professor Rapapa’s invitation to a rally in his Mosalemane constituency over the past weekend.
Instead of heading north to Mosalemane, Moleleki went south to Mafeteng where he addressed a small crowd. The crowd’s choice of song illustrated the mood.
“Re eme mona re batla Moleleki feela e seng mang kapa mang” (“We are standing here and we want Moleleki alone and no one else,”) the crowd sang. Moleleki appeared to revel in it all.
Thuso Litjobo, the former party spokesman, opened the rally with a brief speech that seemed intended to assure Moleleki he still had support in the party.
Moleleki “is still our leader no matter what”, he said. “I call him our leader deliberately,” Litjobo said. He told the members not to be ashamed to call Moleleki their leader “because even the current leader (Professor Rapapa) knows he is the leader”.
Despite snubbing Professor Rapapa’s rally Moleleki told his supporters that factions are “not good for the growth and success of this party”. He said he was concerned that the divisions will cost them the local government elections in September this year.
“You must see them as your brothers and sisters if you are to be together and win the coming elections,” he said.
“You must be committed, disciplined, principled and dedicated.
” In Mosalemane, Professor Rapapa said that “some people do not want to accept defeat as they are still fighting even after our elective conference”.
“To accept changes is not easy,” Professor Rapapa said.
“Some people become enemies just because I am the leader of the party and a minister.
” He encouraged his followers to prepare for the local government elections. Professor Rapapa could not be reached for a comment this week despite several attempts to speak to him.
Moleleki told the thepost that he was invited to Mosalemane “but I do not want to discuss why I did not go”. “It is a sensitive matter,” Moleleki said.
“I will not discuss any internal problems our party is facing right now.
“You should visit me so that we can sit down and talk, but it should be out of record.”
For More News And Analysis About Lesotho Follow Africa-Press
