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Arrest warrant chronicles

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Mokhosi fingers Majoro

Mohloai Mpesi

The Deputy Leader of the opposition Lesotho Congress for Democrats Tšeliso Mokhosi has blamed the Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro for the warrant of arrest issued over their party leader Mothetjoa Metsing and Movement for Economic Change (MEC) Leader and Selibe Mochoboroane’s arrest issued this week.

Addressing the media in Maseru this week, Mokhosi said the Majoro administration had to respect the decisions reached between Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the then Motsoahae Thomas Thabane-led government.    

“We had an agreement with the then government to implement clause 10. Our expectation was that the current Government would inherit the agreements reached with the previous government.

“They (government) have to explain why they are not respecting the agreement yet Thabane is the one who cried foul about treason. Not unless there is a problem with our leaders. Not unless our Prime Minister has a problem. Since he accepted the case (of treason) he must also do likewise to the agreements patched to it.

“We blame all these things on the head of Majoro and him alone,” he said.

Mokhosi continued that the Lesotho courts of law are crippled by political influence and the judges that fear for their jobs.

“As LCD we realised that there is a problem with our courts of law. Our courts are biased and one can easily predict the verdict on the go.

“This is either birthed by political influence to judges and fear; our judges are afraid of our leaders-that the leaders will take harsh measures on them. This is why we wanted the reforms to be made for our courts to be self-reliant,” he said.

“The courts are only looking at the case with the eye of law, but he (Prime Minister) was supposed to respect the decisions and agreements reached by the former PM.

“LCD leader is a member of council of state and we knew about a plot to arrest him while attending council of state matters on Friday, although the arrest did not materialise.

“It also came to our attention that the police went to court on Monday to ask for a permission to apprehend LCD and MEC leaders. We don’t blame the police because they are the servants of government; theirs is to do as they are told,” he said.

…As

Phamotse scoffs at attempted arrest

Mohloai Mpesi

Former Education Minister and Secretary-General of the opposition Alliance of Democrats, Dr Mahali Phamotse has labelled as cheap politicking what he called government’s desperate attempt to clamp Metsing and Mochoboroane from the political sphere.

Addressing the media earlier this week, Phamotse pointed to the sluggish pace at which the national reforms are being rolled out a feat which she maintains deserves better attention than yearning for cheap political points.

“It is clear that the level of patriotism and commitment needed to move Lesotho beyond the current state of affairs and give it a foundation for a better future is still very lacking. What remains most important is scoring cheap political points,” she said.

“We are far from happy with the pace and direction of the reform process to date. Despite the undertaking of the 2015-2017 Democratic Congress led government; we saw minimal forward movement on the reform process. In 2017 the All Basotho Convention led government, of which we were part, once again did little more than just platitudes to the reform process without putting tangible results on the ground.

“With all that has happened in years past and all the years still ahead of us in driving the reform process, as the Alliance of Democrats, we are unable to understand how the proposed arrest of Honourable Mothejoa Metsing and Honourable Selibe Mochoboroane on treason charges will advance the national interest at this point in time,” she said, adding that the current government has been stalling the process of reforms and that the only pill to heal the country is to embark in truth and reconciliation.

“In 2015 at the behest of SADC, the African Union and the wider international community, we all made a commitment to a process of national reforms. By embracing reforms across the political, socio and economic divides of our country, we all acknowledge that our past is littered with mistakes.

“Collectively we chose the route of coming together and talking to each other in order to address our collective shortcomings. It was an important first step towards beginning the process of healing and forgiveness. We still have a very long way to go,” she said.

…While

Mochoboroane is lauded for delivery

Mohloai Mpesi

Tšepang Tšita-Mosena, Proportional Representation Member of Parliament under the ticket of the Movement for Economic Change (MEC), of which she is also Deputy Leader has lauded Minster of Development Planning Selibe Mochoboroane who is on the run for the alleged treasonous charges as a “hardworking man” who should be left alone.

Addressing the media this week, TÅ¡ita-Mosena said the motive to arrest the 43 year-old Minister was because of the numerous corruption cases he revealed at Public Accounts Committee (PAC) where the incumbency in government seek to conceal their actions.

“Our leader’s arrest was made to hide the cases that he dug during his reign at PAC and also revealing the unfinished government projects where millions of government money was spent as he is currently marshalling the Ministry of Development Planning,” she said.

“We have learnt that the treason case is designed and encouraged to humiliate our leader and blur his political vision for the sake of Basotho as well as demoralising his followers.

“This warrant of arrest is also designed to shake the foundations of government, to interfere with reforms process, while also promoting hatred, and unending fights.” she said.

“This affects Lesotho’s international relations and taints the integrity of the nation due to lack of confidence and stability which always call for international facilitators to mediate in our domestic issues,” he said.

She continued that they were surprised to learn about the warrant of arrest to apprehend their leader despite the clause 10.

 â€œWe were surprised to learn earlier this week that a warrant of arrest was issued for the two to be arrested irrespective of the appeal case that was applied.

“We realised that the treason case is even intensified with murder and attempted murder,” she said appealing for the government to desist abusing power to fight own political battles.

“We appeal to the courts of law to serve the nation with justice, we are also determined to respect rule of law and we trust our courts.

“Those who have power should use it to benefit Basotho not to take advantage of the power for their own political battles.

“We appeal to the government to give hope of peace and stability in the country,” she said. lsdse

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