MASERU – WHILE Lehlohonolo Mosoang might be a National Independent Party (NIP) MP, his heart is with the Democratic Congress (DC) leader Pakalitha Mosisili – his political godfather.
He says he only joined the NIP instead of the DC because its leadership is more approachable than other political parties.
Mosoang, arguably the youngest MP, says in terms of leadership style and achievements, “Mosisili surpasses all”.
“I loved his style of politics,” Mosoang, the only MP for the NIP, says.
He praises Mosisili for “achieving a lot” in terms of infrastructure development. He cited the building of schools and roads as some clear examples of his milestone achievements.
“During droughts, Mosisili would go out to seek food aid to save people from starvation. I take him as my role model in politics,” he says.
Growing up, Mosoang was not active in politics.
“But I saw that there was a big gap in parliament to address problems affecting the youth. I realised that being in parliament would be a conduit through which I could make voices of the youths heard,” he says.
Mosoang believes the problems affecting youths can only be understood and solved by a person who understands young people.
“I am here to help solve such problems,” Mosoang says, adding that youths are desperate for jobs.
“Those who want start-up money for income generating projects usually struggle because they do not have the capital to translate their dreams into practicality. They are trapped in wretched poverty,” he says.
He accuses politicians of failing to keep their promises.
Mosoang says he did not want to join “big politics” because his chances of success would be slim.
“I then looked around and the NIP came to my mind. There would be no long bureaucracy to meet the party’s leadership as is the case in other parties,” he says.
Mosoang has achieved what seemed impossible to those around him.
The young man knows what it means to battle for passengers in the wee hours in the sleepy and filthy taxi rank of Quthing as a sedan taxi driver.
He knows the rough and tough life of being hired as a driver where he would be given a daily target by taxi owners.
Dressed in sneakers and jeans as he usually does when he is not in parliament, Mosoang says he was mocked by fellow drivers at the taxi rank when he told them about his wish to try his luck in the rough and tumble life of politics.
But that did not dampen the 29-year-old’s spirit.
He contested in the October 7 polls under the NIP flag, led by Kimetso Mathaba in his home constituency of Sempe, which is sandwiched by the Sebapala and Qomo-Qomong rivers in Quthing district.
Fellow drivers looked down on him because of his age and the party he wanted to use as a vehicle to parliament.
“The NIP is not that popular like other big parties in the country. So when I disclosed to my colleagues that I had thrown my weight behind Mathaba, they laughed at me,” Mosoang recalls.
“They thought I was hallucinating.”
Throughout the interview in his personal car, Mosoang was meticulous in his responses.
The father of one said his parents have not been active in party politics and he doesn’t remember seeing them following any political movement.
Mosoang says he also loves the motto of his party: “No to Gender Based Violence (GBV)”.
He says the NIP wants to use agriculture to lift Basotho out of poverty.
“There is no life without agriculture. Lesotho should migrate from subsistence farming to commercial farming,” Mosoang says.
Because of the problems that affected the DC candidate in the Sempe constituency, the DC struck a deal with NIP for its members to vote for the NIP candidate. That is how Mosoang made it into parliament.
Mosoang says youths should be able to stand up and do things for themselves.
“The plight for the jobless youths is just unbearable. It is a dreadful one. They need assistance,” says Mosoang, lamenting the increase in crime and the use of drugs by young people.
Sempe, like other constituencies in the foothills, is grappling with complexities of infrastructure development like proper roads, electricity and other social amenities.
Mosoang says gravel roads are usually washed away by heavy rains, while a bridge connecting some roads in his constituency has since collapsed making movement difficult.
One of his goals in the constituency in his five-year term is to address Gender Based Violence (GBV), including the plight of men.
“Men suffer silently in their homes and do not usually disclose that they go through hell in their families,” says Mosoang, who has since separated from his wife.
Like many Basotho who are raised in the rural areas, Mosoang looked after animals as a young man.
He has also tasted the difficult life of herders and had to endure pouring rains and the baking sun while looking after livestock.
After performing badly in his Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education (LGCSE) examinations in 2016, Mosoang was frustrated and did not further his studies due to financial hardships in his family.
Mosoang says he landed a job as a driver, carrying goods from town to people’s homes using a van.
He says all hell broke loose when Covid-19 struck and wreaked havoc globally.
“I lost my job and went back to square one,” says Mosoang, who later landed a job as a 4+1 driver in his home town.
He says being a 4+1 driver also shaped him as a young man – a job he credits for shaping him into a resilient character.
Majara Molupe