A persuasive argument

THE All Basotho Convention (ABC)’s newly elected leader Nkaku Kabi this week requested time to persuade Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro to step down. At the time of writing yesterday, Majoro was still hanging on to power. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that Majoro might have to step down for the sake of the ABC’s unity. The ABC NEC says keeping Majoro in power would create two centres of power. The NEC’s reasoning is sound. It therefore wants Kabi to also take over as Prime Minister. The argument is extremely persuasive. It looks like the ABC wants to give Majoro a dignified exit. They do not want to drag Majoro, kicking and screaming, out of State House. Such an exit is extremely critical if the ABC is to maintain its unity and improve the little chances it has to retain power in a general election that is now six months away. While the ABC is haggling to resolve these internal dynamics, its rivals both within and outside government are rubbing their hands in glee. It is only natural that the Democratic Congress (DC), the second biggest partner in the coalition government, would wait to pounce. It is in its interests to keep this internal power struggle going for as long as it can for its own good. A divided and bickering ABC is a boon for the DC and many other smaller parties fighting to seek political relevance in Lesotho. These parties would risk everything to prop up Majoro while antagonizing Kabi. They are playing the politics of survival and they are within their rights to do so. It is clear that the DC would never want to help Kabi who is now riding on a wave of popularity within the ABC. They would prefer to nurse and prop up a badly wounded Majoro whom they know will keep the ABC divided. The ABC NEC must now act to demonstrate that it has a strategy in place to resolve these internal dynamics. They must do all they can to persuade Majoro that it is now time to go, not next week, not next month, but now. The longer the NEC prevaricates, the greater the damage to the party’s electoral chances. It is as simple as that. For the sake of unity, Majoro must comply and leave as soon as possible. This is nothing personal. It is how politics works. The message from last month’s elective conference was quite emphatic as to what the ordinary party members want. They want a new man at the helm and that man is Kabi. It would therefore be in the ABC’s interests to kick-start that transfer of power to allow Kabi enough time to campaign for the next election. This is the biggest political battle Kabi will ever face. He will need to rebrand the party and unite a party that has been badly wounded by internal divisions. Kabi will not be able to do so if there are two centres of power. He must therefore be allowed the leeway to run and shape the party in his own image. If the NEC fails to persuade Majoro to go, it can as well kiss its chances of securing victory in the next elections goodbye.