Mojapela says can work with Matekane

MASERU – THE Socialist Revolutionary (SR) leader, Teboho Mojapela, says he will not have any problems cobbling a coalition deal with Sam Matekane’s Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) after tomorrow’s election.

“It is not that I want but it is because I do not have any option,” Mojapela told thepost in an interview last week.

He says it is difficult to separate the RFP from “these other older parties that are corrupt”.

Mojapela said this was because Matekane’s companies won several lucrative tenders when corrupt governments were still in power.

“The only difference is that the RFP has not been in power directly but (people who lead it have) been winning tenders,” he said.

“Looking at the calibre of people in the RFP,” Mojapela said, “they are those who have corrupted this country.”

He said half the time when he speaks during radio phone-in programmes, “many callers say they believe the SR and RFP could join hands to help this country grow”.

But the visions of the two parties are different, he said.

Mojapela said his party has been fighting tooth and nail for the welfare of Basotho before the RFP was formed.

“We have never condoned corruption at any given time and space,” he said.

Speaking about tomorrow’s election, Mojapela said “there is no transparency because I am competing with thieves”.

He referred to the Auditor General’s report that shows that there are stashes of cash that were unaccounted for.

The Auditor General Monica Besetsa reported that about M6.1 billion went missing while the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) is investigating theft of M50 million.

He said MPs have showered themselves with M5 000 each saying it would be used to fuel their cars when the people had no food in villages.

“They have given themselves a lot of money for no reason,” he said.

He said the outgoing parliament never had any interest to work for Basotho.

He said the MPs in the last Parliament were only interested in enriching themselves.

He said he was not confident about the outcome of the election.

“How could you go to election with thieves and expect the election to be free and fair?”

Mojapela said he refused to sign the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)’s code of conduct for political parties taking part in the election “because I do not want to be associated with corrupt parties”.

Mojapela said Basotho must always remember that they have only one Lesotho and not more.

He said every Mosotho should head to the polls and make an informed decision when casting their votes.

“Trustworthy leaders are the ones to lift up Lesotho out of this wilderness,” he said.

This country, he said, needs leaders who can stand for their decisions and implement them.

He said many people have lost interest in politics in Africa because their countries’ economies are mismanaged.

Majara Molupe