I’ll fight naked for the rights of farmers: Mochoboroane

MASERU – DEFIANT Movement for Economic Change (MEC) leader, Selibe Mochoboroane, says he will continue to fight for the rights of farmers.
Mochoboroane was among MPs who were injured when violence broke out in Parliament last Thursday.
Speaking at his MEC rally in Thaba-Bosiu constituency on Sunday, Mochobroane warned that blood might continue to be spilt unnecessarily if business of Parliament continues to be mishandled.

He blamed the chaos in Parliament on the Speaker of Parliament, Sephiri Motanyane, and his deputy Teboho Lehloenya.
Mochoboroane said he was even willing to fight naked if push comes to shove.
To fight naked is a Sesotho expression that means one would do everything within one’s power to get a task accomplished.
The MP lashed out at Motanyane whom he said had lost direction and is pushing to shield Prime Minister Thomas Thabane from ouster in Parliament.

He argued that the Speaker was misdirecting himself.
He said the Speaker previously said he was seeking the Attorney General’s opinion on the motion of ‘no confidence’ but after receiving that opinion, he had now simply rejected the counsel.
Mochoboroane said the Attorney General told the Speaker that any MP can file a motion of no confidence regardless of whether they are in government or in opposition.
He said the Speaker rejected that advice and he is now misusing his power and it is for this reason that there is no stability in Parliament of late.

He said the blood that was spilt in Parliament might not be enough if the House continues to be run inappropriately.
Mochoboroane said what happened in Parliament should not demotivate his supporters as he was not injured in the company of someone’s wife.
Mochoboroane sustained some wounds during the scuffle and had to be attended to in hospital.

The Bela-Bela MP, Litšoane Litšoane who is also the Minister of Agriculture, was also injured in the scuffle.
Also injured were the MEC MP Thabo Ramatla, also known as Mahapu, and the Minister in Prime Minister’s Office, Tšehlo Ramarou
“You should walk with pride and with your heads high,” Mochoboroane said.

He said he will represent his people with his tongue but now even with his blood.
“We were fighting for wool and mohair and the government decided to corrupt this industry,” he said.

He said some people were benefiting a lot from the corruption in the wool and mohair industry using some ‘boy’ ministers.
To call someone a boy is considered one of the worst forms of insult against a Mosotho man.
He said there are also women who are using some men to reach their goals.
He said all they want is to rescue Lesotho from the hands of the evil one.

Mochoboraone said he was also not happy with the manner in which the Chinese have dominated business in Lesotho.
He said people who are in government are only interested in their pensions.
He said in 2011, Motanyane was Deputy Speaker when a similar motion of no-confidence was passed against the then Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.

A precedence was set and the motion was passed, Mochoboroane said.
“They are scared to test their numbers in Parliament,” he said.
He said Motanyane will not be able to protect or rescue the government during the budget when the MPs vote against it.

He said Deputy Speaker also misused his power when he blocked Serialong Qoo, the Malingoaneng MP, and Likeleli Tampane the Senqu MP, from entering Parliament premises last Friday.
He said Motanyane and Lehloenya were leaving an awful legacy adding that the institution of Parliament had now been captured by the Executive.
“If they keep on doing this, that blood (which was) spilled might not be enough, we will not fear, blood is nothing,” he said.
“My followers wanted to revenge,” he said.

He said he was ambushed when he was trying to get up and fight during the scuffle. He said the MP who hit him with a dustbin was his neighbor.
“He passes through my district when he goes to his home,” he said.
Mochoboroane said the MP was now however trying to deny responsibility for his actions.

He said all they were fighting for was to defend the interests of Basotho against thugs who want to steal their wool and mohair in concert with the Chinese.
“They know that they took bribes,” he said. He said the Prime Minister personally instructed the Minister of Small Businesses to allow farmers to sell their wool and mohair wherever they wanted.
Mochoboroane said a Mosotho of Chinese descent who is adviser to the Prime Minister who controls and owns the country.

As the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), they have shaken the Chinese and immediately found out that ministers were behind the corruption in the wool and mohair industry.
“Tell them to take out guns and kill me,” he said. Mochoboroane said the thugs should choose between deporting the Chinese and letting him stay in Lesotho.
He said he is aware there is a case against the Chinese and he will answer for all those as long as he is alive with other PAC members.
Mochoboroane said after being beaten, he went to hospital together with Litšoane but surprisingly Thabane and his wife came to see Litšoane and immediately left without seeing him.

Nkheli Liphoto