LCD in talks with RFP

MASERU – THE Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) is in talks to join the new government to be led by Sam Matekane’s Revolution for Prosperity (RFP).

LCD spokesperson Apesi Ratšele told thepost yesterday that talks with the RFP, the Alliance of Democrats (AD) and the Movement for Economic Change (MEC) are still continuing.

Ratšele admitted that their initial overtures to join the government were rebuffed with the RFP insisting that they had already sealed an agreement with their partners to form a new government.

“We are still in talks with them and I do not want to go deep (into the matter),” Ratšele said.

He said if they fail to become part of the government, the LCD would still like to be its friend.

He said they are proposing to be allies of the new government so that they could vote together in parliament.

Ratšele said they have been in opposition for almost five years and they have heard enough of the menace.

“We have not finalised the talks, they are still in progress,” he said.

As soon as the talks have been finalised, Ratšele said he would be in a position to say more on the agreement.

The three parties in government bagged 65 seats in all with the LCD winning just three Proportional Representation (PR) seats.

The LCD failed to win a single constituency in the October 7 general election.

Meanwhile, the leader of Socialist Revolutionaries (SR) Teboho Mojapela has hit back at the new government.

He said he had earlier made a proposal to be part of the government but his proposal was turned down.

Mojapela said the new government is sitting on the edge of a cliff.

“They are running a serious risk,” Mojapela said.

He said the new government is going to be defeated just like the ABC-led government.

He said some people believe that the new government is going to perform miracles by transforming the lives of the people.

But that is not going to happen, he said.

Mojapela said he was surprised that the new government had given him a cold shoulder adding they had thrown other parties under the bus.

He said it is baffling to see that the AD had been invited while he was left out in the cold.

The RFP deputy spokesman, Thabo Maretlane, confirmed that they were in talks with the LCD.

Maretlane said after sealing the government pact with the AD and the MEC, they courted other parties with the aim to reach a two-thirds majority in parliament.

The two-thirds majority in parliament will make it smooth to pass certain constitutional amendments without the input of the opposition.

Majara Molupe