(MENAFN- The Post) MASERU - A caustic 'war of words' has erupted between the All Basotho Convention (ABC) and Basotho National Party (BNP) youth leagues suggesting all is not well within the coalition government.
The youth leagues' fight burst into the public arena this week after the BNP Youth League leader, Patriot David, attacked Prime Minister Thomas Thabane during a live radio interview.
David said the BNP did 'not have a deity staying at the State House', in remarks the ABC youths said were targeted at their leader.
The State House is Thabane's official residence.
The BNP youth leader also accused Thabane of presiding over some 'irregularities in government' that made it difficult for the coalition government to operate smoothly.
The BNP youths' attacks on Thabane is the clearest indication that the coalition government has hit turbulence and is now wobbling. The BNP is the third largest partner in the four-party coalition.
The war of words came during the same week that BNP deputy leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe, who is also the Home Affairs Deputy Minister, condemned Thabane's move to cobble up a new coalition government with two opposition parties.
There would be no room for the BNP under the new coalition.
The BNP appears to have been miffed by the developments and has been very vocal in recent weeks.
For instance, the party says it wants all crime suspects prosecuted, a sticky subject at a time when Thabane and his wife, 'Maesaiah, are accused of masterminding the murder of Lipolelo Thabane in June 2017.
Thabane and 'Maesaiah are fighting the murder charges in the courts. His wife has already been formally charged.
In a statement to the media this week, the ABC youth league said it was clear that David was receiving instructions from somewhere and was being coached by senior figures within the BNP.
'We as the ABC youth league know the occupant of the State House as the ABC leader and Prime Minister of this country and not an idol,' the statement reads.
The ABC youth league also said it was worried after David's statement said 'we will not tolerate this behaviour of Mr Thabane'.
The ABC youth league statement also says there were earlier efforts to solve matters between them and the BNP youth league but the BNP leader assured them that they would talk to David.
However, David continued to talk ill of the ABC and its leader and 'this time we will not believe any assurances by the BNP executive committee because we have learnt that this youth' is out of control.
David said the BNP believes in justice for all Basotho adding that all people facing criminal cases must be dragged before courts of law.
Nkheli Liphoto
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