Lehora quits ABC, joins RFP

MASERU – KABELO Lehora, the National Security Service (NSS)’s principal secretary and prominent member of the All Basotho Convention (ABC), has defected to the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP).

Lehora said he is joining the RFP because of the incessant fights within the ABC, a party he joined in 2006 when it was founded by former Prime Minister Tom Thabane.

He said he briefed Thabane about his move and the former ABC leader wished him well.

“Even though I have left the ABC, I will never talk bad about them,” Lehora said, adding that he is grateful to the party for making him a “better person” and giving him a senior government position.

He said he tried but failed to bring peace to the party.

“I tried by all means to neutralise the situation by posting messages on social media but it never worked.”

Lehora blames the factional fights for the party’s disastrous performance in the recent election.

The ABC lost a staggering 40 of the 48 seats it won in the 2017 election. Its number of votes crumbled from 235 000 to 35 000.

“Those in the executive shut down the door for those in the party management. And those in the party management did the same. I do not have a home in those fights,” Lehora said.

He said there is still a large number of ABC followers who will follow him to the RFP. He however could not say how many people are following him.

On why he has opted for the RFP, Lehora said he believes the party will respect the rule of law and will maintain “a good administration structure of professional people who are approachable and humble”.

“They promote the rule of law and I am willing to support them to see to it that we are ruled by the law,” he said.

ABC spokesman, Montoeli Masoetsa, said the party is not worried about Lehora’s exit.

“Those are the people who are focused on their personal interests. He will still defect from the RFP when he does not get what he wants,” Masoetsa said.

He said Lehora is one of the ungrateful people who were given senior government positions by the ABC but are now leaving it.

Lehora was initially a senior private secretary to Thabane before being parachuted in to become the Cabinet’s principal secretary.

After a fallout with the Minister in the Prime Minister’s office, Likopo Mahase, Lehora was moved to the NSS.

Nkheli Liphoto