Africa-Press – Lesotho. SUSPENDED Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) MPs say they will not toe the party line but will be guided by their own conscience when voting in parliament.
Dr Mahali Phamotse, Thuso Makhalanyane and Rethabile Letlailana were all slapped with six-year suspensions from the RFP as tensions within the ruling boiled over.
The three are however not taking the suspension lying down. Dr Phamotse told thepost yesterday that she will be guided by her conscience when voting in parliament.
“I will not enter into territory to support laws that are not for Basotho,” Phamotse said.
“I will not compromise for laws that infringe on the rights of Basotho. I can compromise on the other things. ”
“I can lobby other MPs in parliament and they can also lobby me but not regarding laws that are against Basotho,” she added.
“As regards voting for the laws that will work against the wishes of Basotho I will stand my ground. I will not compromise even if it means voting against my party. ”
She said the decision by the RFP national executive committee to suspend her was a violation of their own party’s constitution and their democratic right to free speech and association.
Dr Phamotse said the suspension from the RFP “is a dictatorship at its best because it is not in line with democratic principles”. “It is neither in the RFP constitution nor in this country’s constitution,” she argued.
She said if the High Court upholds her suspension, she will appeal to a higher court. But if the appeal court still maintains the status quo, she would “opt to stay at the cross bench to fight for the people of my constituency and the Basotho nation at large”.
“I cannot sit outside politics for six years,” she said, adding: “I will advance my principles in politics.
” She said the verdict from the court will determine what route she will take.
“I’m not intending to cross to any political party,” Dr Phamotse said.
Makhalanyane, who has also dragged the RFP to court, said they will not lose the case. “Even a child would win it if given a chance. Our suspension is unlawful,” Makhalanyane said.
“I will continue to be guided by my conscience to vote in parliament as we did last week,” he said.
“We were voted by Basotho to vote for things that will benefit them as opposed to voting for everything that the party dictates.
” The Lithoteng MP Rethabile Letlailana told thepost yesterday that he had also instructed his lawyers to challenge his suspension in the High Court. Phamotse and Makhalanyane have asked the High Court to declare the decision by the RFP executive committee to suspend them null and void.
In her founding affidavit, Phamotse said when she received a letter inviting her to go to the disciplinary hearing she immediately wrote back seeking further details of the charges to enable her to prepare her defence.
She said the party ignored her request. She also said she had been told that if she would arrive late at the hearing, it would proceed in her absence.
She had also been advised that she could be represented or accompanied by a fellow member of the party, and she took along one Moliehi Ralikoche from her Matlakeng constituency.
Ralikoche, she said, was kicked out of the hearing despite her objection, she told the court. She also said when she wanted further details the chairman of the hearing rejected her request. Phamotse said she stormed out of the room in objection. She told the court that Makhalanyane told her that he underwent the same treatment.
After that she received an email telling her that she had been suspended for six years during which she should not wear the RFP regalia, represent the RFP anywhere, talk to the RFP MPs, talk to her constituency of Matlakeng or visit any constituency.
She told the court that the RFP has violated its own constitution and the country’s constitution. She referred to clauses in the RFP constitution that say a member of the party who is aggrieved about the conduct of another should lodge the complaint with the village, branch, or constituency disciplinary committee.
The national executive committee, she said, is an appellate body but in her case it became the court of first instance. She also said no member complained about her conduct at her village, branch or constituency.
This, she said, was the case with Makhalanyane. She also said blocking her from talking to her constituency and other MPs amounted to dictating to her on who she should talk to, which is a violation of the national constitution.
She said her constitutional right to freedom of speech, sharing ideas and information, and association has been violated. Meanwhile, two Abia RFP branches have filed a motion of no confidence against Makhalanyane.
The two branches, Phakalasane and Holy Innocent, wrote to the party’s secretary general last week demanding Makhalanyane’s ouster. The two branches said they are not part of the people who are clamouring for an elective conference.
They labelled Makhalanyane a rebel. The Phakalasane branch secretary, Thabo Kotelo, wrote that they do not have confidence in their constituency committee.
“We do not associate with the behaviour displayed by our Member of Parliament,” he said in the letter.
“We are aware that the constituency committee and the Member of Parliament make crucial decisions without involving the branches,” he said.
“We are not happy with the behaviour of our Member of Parliament who has now turned into a rebel.
” They said the constituency committee should be dissolved and its members disciplined. The Holy Innocent deputy secretary, Kelumetse Moerane, expressed similar sentiments in his letter.
“We are not part of the people who took the party to the courts of law demanding a conference,” Moerane said. The party’s spokesman Mokhethi Shelile could not be reached for comment last night.
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