Amnesty plan angers opposition

MASERU – PRIME Minister Sam Matekane’s promise to grant amnesty to people who stole public funds has angered opposition parties.

Matekane told thousands of people gathered at his inauguration at Setsoto Stadium last Friday that his government will “establish and publicise a corruption, theft and embezzlement amnesty programme in 30 days”.

It wasn’t long before a furious reaction started on social media with some accusing the new government of treating corrupt officials with kid gloves.

Others said the government was reneging on its election campaign promise to go hard on corruption.

This week, political leaders pilloried Matekane’s fledgling government for going easy on crooks.

The Basotho Action Party (BAP) leader, Professor Nqosa Mahao, told a press conference on Monday that Matekane’s amnesty deal could create a special law to protect corrupt officials.

“The Prime Minister’s intentions to grant amnesty for felonies of corruption, theft, and embezzlement of public funds committed by members of the political class are not a rule of law,” Professor Mahao said.

“This is a worrisome omen for the country,” he said.

“There are ample reasons to believe that this is an egregious plot engineered with the purpose of obstruction of justice and the absolution of criminal suspects from possible and actual prosecution in this context of endemic corruption.”

“If the government should proceed stubbornly and unfortunately with the corruption amnesty policy that would be a glaring infraction against the constitution and unwarranted deviation from acceptable international norms of responsible and accountable governments,” he said.

“This government should not have leeway to operate without a sense of democratic compliance, moral probity and fiscal prudence — and as such with impunity.”

He said the BAP will robustly engage the RFP in parliament over the proposed amnesty.

“Even other people who shall be unfairly discriminated against by such a law have a right to challenge its constitutionality in the courts of law,” he said.

The BAP leader said it is “unbecoming for a leadership entrusted by popular vote to salvage Lesotho out of corruption-inflicted poverty to flagrantly circumvent the law in the manner envisaged”.

He said such untenable compromise of the law will “abort the project of sustainable development and distort the agenda of democracy”.

“We implore and expect the new government to come to its senses – to desist from perpetuating and nurturing corruption and become a responsible government subject to the constitution of Lesotho,” Mahao said.

The All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader, Nkaku Kabi, said they would only agree with the policy if those who are found guilty would be made to pay back the money they stole.

“We do not mind if the amnesty means those people will pay back all the money taken,” Kabi said.

Motlalentoa Letsosa, the Democratic Congress (DC) deputy leader, said the proposed amnesty is unfair.

‘Masetota Leshota, the Basotho National Party (BNP) spokesperson, said the party is strongly opposed to the amnesty.

“It (the proposed law) does not care about the victims, it only caters for the perpetrators,” Leshota said.

Leshota said the prime minister “should put justice first and then the other things will follow”.

The Socialist Revolutionaries (SR) leader, Teboho Mojapela, said Matekane “should not think that he is Jesus just because he has been elected into power by many people”.

“This country is not a company that would be run with the interests of an individual,” Mojapela said.

“The money belongs to the nation not to an individual,” Mojapela said, adding that he once advised the ABC not to run this country like a family.

“The constitution of this country is clear on how it should be run.”

The RFP deputy spokesman, Thabo Maretlane, told thepost last night that Professor Mahao is “blowing things out of proportion”.

Maretlane said laws are enacted and amended in parliament.

“The amnesty law will be passed in parliament,” Maretlane said.

“Our amnesty does not mean people would not be punished for their crimes,” he said.

“It just means the government would be lenient on those who will come and disclose their crimes in these 100 days,” Maretlane said.

Maretlane said even the police call people with illegal firearms to take them to the nearest police and would not be charged.

Nkheli Liphoto