MASERU – KNIVES are out for the Basotho National Party (BNP) leader Machesetsa Mofomobe with five party activists this week accusing him of mismanaging the party.
The five, who hold no senior positions in the BNP, wrote to Mofomobe this week repeating almost similar allegations which were raised by secretary general Moeketsi Hanyane three months ago.
Last night, thepost could not confirm with Hanyane if the four were aligned to him.
The four party members who wrote to the party are Seeiso Bereng, Aupa Lebeko, Makama Monese, Lebohang Motaung and Khotso Phafoli.
They said Mofomobe had failed to unite the party after a divisive leadership contest that left the BNP bitterly divided two years ago.
The quintet says it is worried about the maladministration of the party and the dwindling membership which is rapidly rendering the party irrelevant.
“After the NEC conference in 2021, we expected our leader to unite the sides for the sake of the party, unfortunately, that did not happen,” their letter reads.
An elderly woman, ’Mabuang Mazingo was shot dead at the conference venue as the contest for the leadership post became violent. Mofomobe was locked in a bitter contest against Dr Lehlohonolo Mosotho.
Mofomobe and Dr Mosotho all claimed they were the target of the attack.
The five said Mofomobe’s failure to bring the two factions together has caused a big rapture in the party and members are still divided.
“This led to many members defecting from the party while others decided not to cast votes at all,” the letter reads.
They said their hope after the elective conference was that the leader would bring them together “instead of having factions called Team Mosotho and Team Liqhoba-Thokoa”.
They said Mofomobe has not done anything to investigate the violence at the elective conference.
“Those who supported Mosotho were blamed for the death,” the letter reads.
They complained that the children of the slain woman, ’Mabuang Mazingo, were only helped to cover the funeral costs and nothing more was done to assist them.
“Today ’Mabuang (Mazingo’)s children have defected from the party and they refuse when the party asks to hold her memorial until they get answers about what caused their mother’s death,” the letter reads.
The five complainants have also complained that after former leader Thesele ’Maseribane’s departure to Italy as an ambassador, “his supporters were chased in the party until most of them defected”.
The five blamed the party leader for the 2022 general elections loss saying he did not organise enough rallies to help the campaign.
“The party did not have the campaign teams and there was no party regalia and campaign funding was not there.”
They said instead of working for the party, Mofomobe was seen lashing at other political leaders.
“He failed to address the matters of the party.”
They added that Mofomobe also exposed his weakness and dishonesty by fighting the Democratic Congress (DC) while he gave the impression that he was with them.
“He went behind their back to the IEC to report the party candidate for Sempe constituency that he was a civil servant,” they said.
The BNP youth league leader, David Patriot Letela, told thepost that the police were still investigating the Mazingo murder case and party members should therefore not be seen to be muddying the waters.
Mafomobe could not be reached for comment.
Alice Samuel and Nkheli Liphoto