Africa-Press – Lesotho. PRIME Minister Sam Matekane’s government is on an aggressive campaign to buy off MPs as it battles the opposition’s attempts to topple it. The Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) government is allegedly offering MPs plum positions and money to shore up its numbers ahead of the opposition’s imminent vote-of-no-confidence.
The RFP is approaching opposition MPs either directly or through proxies. Sources say the government is actively inducing current PR MPs to relinquish their seats. The plan is to neutralise the opposition’s numbers by staffing its seats with PR MPs sympathetic to the government.
Some opposition leaders have also been approached to lend their support, at the party level, in exchange for some cabinet seats or senior positions in the coalition government.
But the main focus appears to be on targeting individual MPs because parties tend to demand hefty prices for their support and bringing them in as organisations might upset the dynamics in the coalition government.
’Masetota Leshota, a Basotho National Party (BNP) MP, was approached by two local businessmen of Indian descent at her Roma home on Sunday.
They allegedly offered Leshota a diplomatic position and money in exchange for her relinquishing her Proportional Representation (PR) seat. “They were offering money and a position at an embassy,” Leshota told thepost this week.
She did not give details of the position and the exact amount offered but said she turned them down and immediately reported the approach to BPN leader Machesetsa Mofomobe.
Mofomobe said Leshota was offered M500 000 and an unspecified position at an embassy. He said he knows one of the emissaries as Reji “who owns several businesses in Lesotho”.
The plot, he said, was that Leshota would be replaced by Home Affairs Minister Lebona Lephema’s brother, Bothata Lephema, who is next in line on the BNP’s PR list.
Mofomobe described the offers of money and positions to MPs as “naked political corruption by a government desperate to hang on to power at all costs”.
thepost can reveal that two Basotho Action Party (BAP) MPs have also been offered positions to vacate their seats for people who would support the government.
The BAP’s deputy leader Maqelepo confirmed the government’s overtures to the MPs but said “nearly everyone, including me, has been approached”. “One of the MPs was given an option of a position at an embassy but she refused,” Maqelepo said.
He also confirmed that BAP leader Professor Nqosa Mahao was approached but nothing came out of the discussions. “Nothing was offered but they said he could propose what he wanted and he said it was for them to propose.
Mofomobe told thepost on Tuesday that the opposition’s support among MPs remains at 64, three more than the simple majority required to remove the government through a vote of no confidence.
The government’s charm offensive appeared to have started to yield some positive results last week when ‘Mamarame Matela, the Socialist Revolution (SR) MP and deputy leader, was persuaded to relinquish her seat in exchange for a diplomatic post.
thepost could not verify allegations that ‘Matela was also offered some money. What is however known is that she left the country this week for a position at Lesotho’s consulate in Durban.
Sources say Matela will be in Durban for a few months as she waits to replace Pontšo Sekatle as the ambassador in Brussels next February. Matela has been replaced by the Movement for Economic Change (MEC)’s Chabaseile Mabusela, who was next in line on the SR/MEC proportional Representation list.
Mabusela is said to be loyal to the MEC leadership and therefore likely to support the government. He was sworn in yesterday protest from the opposition.
The SR had filed an urgent application to block Mabusela’s appointment, arguing that the position should go to ‘Mapali Molula. The party approached the Court of Appeal after Justice Molefi Makara ruled that the application is not urgent. The Speaker however said the appeal doesn’t stop Mabusela’s swearing in.
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