Africa-Press – Lesotho. Nine political parties with representation in parliament, and a faction of the country’s biggest political party, All Basotho Convention (ABC), have announced formation of a new alliance with the aim of toppling the ruling coalition. Main opposition Democratic Congress (DC) leader, Mathibeli Mokhothu, announced the venture on Friday at his party’s head office in Maseru.
Mokhothu was joined by the chairperson of ABC, Sam Rapapa, Movement for Economic Change (MEC) leader, Selibe Mochoboroane, Popular Front for Democracy (PFD) leader, Lekhetho Rakuoane and National Independent Party (NIP) leader Kimetso Mathaba, among others.
Also present were the Democratic Party of Lesotho (DPL) leader, Limpho Tau, leader of the Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), Moeketse Malebo and the deputy leader of the Basotho national Party (BNP), Machesetsa Mofomobe.
Mokhothu indicated that the Reformed Congress of Lesotho (RCL) and the Basotho Congress Party (BCP) were also part of the alliance. Noticeably absent from the event was Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) leader Mothetjoa Metsing.
LCD is the only opposition party in parliament which has not joined the new alliance. A coalition has to consist of at least 61 Members of Parliament (MPs) to form a government.
Mokhothu said their coalition has 78 MPs. The current coalition, which came into power in June 2017, is comprised of the ABC, Alliance of Democrats (AD), BNP and RCL.
With the BNP, RCL and a faction of the ABC which is opposed to the party’s leader Prime Minister Motsoahae Thabane, having served divorce papers on the coalition, only the AD and Thabane’s faction of the ABC remain in that coalition.
The ABC was seen as a beacon of hope and viewed as a uniting force for the country when it was elected to power in 2017. But less than three years on, the party has been mired in infighting and its reputation has been significantly tarnished.
On Thursday, the DC and the national executive of ABC submitted to the speaker of the national assembly, Sephiri Motanyane, a letter informing him about their new alliance.
“This services to bring to the attention of your good office the configuration of the new coalition between All Basotho Convention (ABC) and Democratic Congress (DC).
Names of the members of the two parties forming this coalition are hereto attached,” read the letter. The letter was written before other political parties could join the alliance. It was read in parliament on Friday morning by Motanyane who said he will make a decision later.
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