(MENAFN- The Post) TWO former diplomats aligned to the Alliance of Democrats (AD) party have defected to the ruling Revolution for Prosperity (RFP).
Rethabile Mokaeane and Refiloe Litjobo told thepost this week that they have quit the AD. Litjobo said he quit because he was not happy with the leadership style of the party's new leader Professor Ntoi Rapapa.
Mokaeane was the High Commissioner of Lesotho to the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2020, while Litjobo was Lesotho's ambassador to Switzerland during the same time.
Mokaeane said she is leaving the AD“because it is a small party”.
“I want to support the RFP because it was chosen by Basotho in large numbers,” Mokaeane said.
On the other hand, Litjobo said he is“dissatisfied with the way the newly elected leader is treating the founders of the party who worked hard in the previous years”.
Litjobo accused Rapapa of blocking his appointment as a principal secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“I had passed the interview and he (Rapapa) blocked me for unfounded reasons,” he said.
Litjobo accused Professor Rapapa of“sidelining all those who were supporting (Monyane) Moleleki” before the party's elective conference in June last year.
“He is still preoccupied with factionalism instead of helping build oneness within the party.”
Professor Rapapa has however rejected the charge as false.
“I am not responsible for the appointment of principal secretaries. How am I involved in the hiring of principal secretaries?” he said.
He said Litjobo knows and understands what the law says regarding the appointment of principal secretaries, that it is the prerogative of the prime minister.
“They are hired by the Public Service Commission and I have no role to play there,” he said.
Professor Rapapa said he“loves all AD members without discrimination”.
Litjobo also accused Professor Rapapa of being a newcomer in the AD who did not understand the culture and history of the party.
“I championed the idea of forming the party while still an MP in 2017,” Litjobo said.“Ntoi (Rapapa) was not there. He was not anywhere closer.”
He said Professor Ntoi Rapapa“does not understand the party itself, its manifesto, and its values”.
“He is just using the party as a vehicle to reach his own goals. He is only focused on his constituency, not the party,” he said.
“A closed mouth is a closed destiny. He is saying nothing to reconcile this party after the elective conference that left it divided.”
“He does not appreciate the efforts that were made to form this party.”
The AD was split into two factions after founder Monyane Moleleki was defeated during an elective conference last year. Professor Rapapa got 1 191 votes while Moleleki picked up a measly 586 votes.
Moleleki however refused to accept defeat and“withdrew the AD” from the coalition government led by Prime Minister Sam Matekane.
The“withdrawal” did not harm the coalition government which stayed intact.
Litjobo said he knows what it means to be led by real leaders, referring to the retired leader of the Democratic Congress (DC) Pakalitha Mosisili and Moleleki.
“Those were the real leaders who understood leadership and politics, not this one.”
He pledged to be loyal to the RFP.
“Loyalty is the only currency I have.”
Nkheli Liphoto
MENAFN17042024000229011070ID1108107092
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.