Knives out for BNP boss

MASERU – THE Basotho National Party (BNP) is getting ready to haul its secretary general to coals over allegations of bringing the party into disrepute and making false allegations against the leadership.

A Disciplinary Committee which has been dormant has been revived to deal with Lesojane Leuta whose fallout with the leadership has rocked the party.

The leadership believes Leuta has crossed the line and should be shown the door.

Last week BNP constituency secretaries and chairmen met in the party leader,Thesele ‘Maseribane, in Ladybrand for a briefing on how Leuta will be handled.

Yesterday Leuta received a letter dated April 18 asking him to explain why he should not face disciplinary action.

Leuta said he was peeved that the letter gave him only two days to respond but did not specify the charges he is likely to face.

He however said he was not shocked by the letter itself because some BNP members had already warned him it was coming.

“I will now ask the party to elaborate on the charges I am facing because the letter is not clear at all,” Leuta said.

“From what I have picked my case has something to so with the Proportional Representative seat issue,” he said. He was referring to a case he won in the High Court after the BNP sued him for allegedly sneaking his name on to the party’s PR list. “I can also say I am being punished for asking why people are saying the party is broke when it is owed millions,” he said.

“I still insist on asking that question because there is a company that owes us a lot of money but no one on the party is doing anything about it.”  BNP Deputy Leader, Joang Molapo, said constituency secretaries and chairmen told the party leaders that disciplinary action against Leuta “was long overdue”.

“This is after we had told them we could not continue working with him because he is no longer serving the interests of the party,” Molapo said.

Molapo said Leuta is facing disciplinary action because he “insists on alleging that someone stole BNP’s money without providing evidence”.

He said Leutahas stopped working for the good of the party and continues to insist on writing circulars and letters without approval from the National Executive Committee (NEC). Molapo said last week he ordered Leuta to stop sending out letters unless he has also signed them as the deputy leader.

“He refused and keeps sending out letters.  He reports to the NEC so he cannot say it is his right to write letters without its approval.”

“He thinks he can do whatever he wants.”

Signs that knives were already out for Leuta emerged last week when ‘Maseribane and party spokesperson Machesetsa Mofomobe lashed out at him for saying he would not attend the meeting in Ladybrand because he feared for his life.

Leuta needs “urgent medical attention”, ‘Maseribane told a local newspaper.Mofomobe described Leuta as “a desperate man and attention-seeker”, in an interview with same weekly.

Staff Reporter