Thabane fires Majoro allies

(MENAFN- The Post) MASERU – TWO All Basotho convention (ABC) leaders have been fired from the party in what appears to be an attempt by Thomas Thabane to purge executive members aligned to Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro.
Thabane fired national treasurer, Tlali Mohapi, and Keketso Lepheane, a committee member representing the Butha-Buthe district.

The dismissals come as Thabane faces intense pressure within the deeply divided party.
Thabane has admitted that the ABC has two factions, one he leads and another headed by his deputy Majoro.
The committee, which is the battleground for the factions, is split along those lines. Thabane appears to be trying to consolidate his grip on the party by expelling Majoro's allies.

The battles have escalated as the ABC heads into primary elections to select candidates for next year's election. Each faction is pushing its own candidates.
The ABC has tried to sanitise Mohapi's dismissal by alleging that he was incompetent.
The nature of the dismissal is however curious.

Last week Mohapi threatened to resign as treasurer because he could not do a complete audit of the party's finances without some documents from the previous executive committee.
Mohapi did not submit his resignation letter but Thabane seized on his threat and wrote him a letter saying his resignation had been accepted.
But a defiant Mohapi told thepost that he remains the ABC treasurer.

In the letter, Thabane acknowledged Mohapi's resignation from the executive committee and also accused him of incompetence.
By doing so Thabane was accepting a resignation that never happened.
Mohapi told thepost that he is being punished for demanding a forensic audit of the party's finances. He said he suspects some funds could be missing.

Mohapi, a senior private secretary to Prime Minister Majoro, said he was barred from attending a meeting that Thabane was having with the Teya-Teyaneng constituency committees on Sunday.
He said the dismissal did not surprise him because Thabane, in his speech, at the executive meeting on October 11 accused him of incompetence.
Mohapi said the speech was written by secretary general Lebohang Hlaele.
“The leader said he was told by the secretary-general that I was not doing my job, therefore, I should be released,” Mohapi said.

He said the issue was then closed after he complained that he was not getting financial records from the previous committee.
He was however surprised to receive his dismissal letter on October 21.
Thabane's letter to Mohapi was dated October 14.
“But the letter was written on the 14th, how is that possible?” he said.
“I am still the ABC national treasurer.”
On Saturday four heavily armed men blocked Mohapi from attending a party meeting in Mohale's Hoek.

“They said their boss said I should not be allowed to enter.”
He then called the secretary-general and his deputy Nkaku Kabi to intervene who however failed to resolve the issue.
Mohapi further said the previous ABC committee did not use the party funds well, adding that he made a situational report immediately after getting into office.

He said the ABC has some investments at the FNB that will soon mature and“while investigating the issue, I realised that I was touching fire”.
He however refused to give further details.
ABC spokesman Montoeli Masoetsa said his“level of politics does not allow me to talk about childish issues such as these”.
Masoetsa said Mohapi rejected Thabane's orders to sign for some funds meant for the party's activities.
Mohapi said he refused to sign for the funds because he wanted an audit first and threatened to resign.

“He said he will step aside but remain a member of the party,” Masoetsa said.
“Now he says he did not resign, but he said this in front of the executive committee.”
He said a political party“is not a corporate entity and those who say Mohapi should have tendered his resignation letter are confused”.
Masoetsa said they were surprised when Kabi said Mohapi should be allowed to attend the meeting on the basis that he is still the treasurer.
“This is ill-discipline and delinquency in our party.”
“It was wrong for an executive member to say Mohapi should be allowed to enter our closed meeting.”

He said Mohapi was“inefficient and his inefficiency has let him down”.
“Mohapi knows nothing about finances and how they should be monitored. That man is useless, there is nothing to write home about him.”
Masoetsa said Lepheane has been fired for opposing Thabane's directive to visit the constituency committees.
“He said no one should take decisions made at someone's house. That was not correct so the leader dismissed him,” Masoetsa said.

Lepheane opposed the decision to hold executive committee meetings at Thabane's home in Makhoakhoeng, arguing that the party has its own offices for its activities.
Lepheane told thepost that his dismissal was not approved by the executive committee.
“I will see what to do with that (dismissal) letter,” he said.

Nkheli Liphoto

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