Matekane attacked

MASERU-OPPOSITION parties this week took a swipe at Prime Minister Sam Matekane who they accused of failing to live up to his new government’s 100-day action plan.
The opposition spoke in reaction to Matekane’s speech earlier this week where he spoke glowingly of what he said were his government’s big achievements.

They said Matekane spoke about things he never promised, leaving behind issues he had promised to tackle during his inauguration speech last October.
The parties complained that Matekane had delayed delivering the 100-days’ speech because he had nothing to say.

They accused him of lacking clear programmes to drive the government.
The Basotho National Party (BNP) leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe, accused the Prime Minister of being “weak and incompetent”.
“His speech on Tuesday did not answer anything,” Mofomobe said, adding that “he (Matekane) is incapable of leading because he does not have the confidence to even stand in front of the camera”.

Mofomobe said Matekane’s speech was “embarrassing because it was pre-recorded”.
He said Matekane had promised to establish a performance contract within 10 days of taking over as Prime Minister but that was never done.
“Where is that contract?” Mofomobe said.

The All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader, Nkaku Kabi, said Matekane had promised to deliver a plan to cut government expenditure.
“They promised a transparent recruitment where there would be no nepotism,” Kabi said.

He said Matekane also promised to pay all social workers and to investigate the whereabouts of all the government properties including vehicles and machinery.
He said they were expecting him to implement performance contracts that he promised so that workers do not sit on social media all day.

The Democratic Congress (DC) deputy leader, Motlalentoa Letsosa, said he was “shocked to hear Matekane not talking about his promises”.
He said Matekane promised to get back the missing M6.1 billion but he did not talk about it in his speech.

“He talked about changing damaged electricity lights, painting airports and planting flowers and launching trackers,” Letsosa said.
He said all of these were not in his 100-day action plan.

The Basotho Action Party (BAP) secretary-general, Lebohang Thotanyana, said the speech did not match promises he had made.
“His speech is now a mixed bag,” Thotanyana said.

Thotanyana said Matekane did not make good progress because they never focused on a clear programme to follow.

PROMISES MADE DURING INAUGURATION

1. Develop a plan for improving aid and donor coordination and organise a meeting with donors within 10 days.
2. Meet with districts administrators and council chairpersons within 10 days.
3. Meet the media and civil society within 15 days.
4. Take action on the unaccounted M6.1 and make it public within 15 days.
5. Develop, publish and implement a crime control programme within 15 days.
6. Performance contract for PM and ministers and publicise it within 30 days.
7. Performance contracts for principal secretaries and publicise it within 30 days.
8. Establish and publicise corruption, theft and embezzlement amnesty program within 30 days.
9. Prepare a report on all companies that government has shares in within 30 days.
10. Prepare a list of people that the government owes money and make recommendations within 30 days.
11. Report on budget monitoring for all ongoing capital projects indicate which projects to close within 30 days.
12. Develop a reporting plan for all state owned enterprises and publicise it within 30 days.
13. Identify areas of public financial wastage and make recommendations within 60 days.
14. Develop tools to standardize performance reporting and reflection for the entire government within 100 days.
15. Develop citizen monitoring and reporting on performance of public sector within 100 days.
16. Take stock of government fleet, rationalise it, and provide each local authority with at least 1 vehicle within 100 days.
17. Pay outstanding allowances of village health workers within 100 days.
18. Deploy relevant public officials to the authority of DA’s and councils within 100 days.
19. Develop and implement a plan to unnecessary government spending through fleet management within 100 days.

WHAT WAS PRESENTED AFTER 100 DAYS

1. There will be a citizen engagement on service delivery and accountability.
2. Reduced the cabinet from 37 to 15.
3. Paid owed service providers 460 million.
4. Repaired roads and bridges.
5. Made sure that the streets lights in Maseru are fully working.
6. Renovating the Moshoeshoe 1 international airport.
7. Established long lasting unity and collaboration between the security institutions.
8. Launched a microchip to track stolen animals.
9. Recruitment of new DCEO experienced employees to tackle corruption.
10. The government will meet all the reforms process stakeholders to discuss the way forward.
11. Ending nepotism in the government ministries.
12. Visited the Lesotho Defense Force contingent in Mozambique.

Nkheli Liphoto