‘Qalo MP moans over lack of Electricity’

Rose Moremoholo

BUTHA-BUTHE

THE Qalo MP Leboea Mothuku is an unhappy man.

His biggest gripe is the lack of development in his constituency with villagers not being connected to the electricity grid.

“The biggest challenge we have in this constituency is that we are very close to the main road and very much closer to electricity cables but I sadly tell everyone present here that this village and neighboring villages do not have electricity,” Mothuku said.

Mothuku pleaded with the Minister of Education Mahali Phamotse and her deputy Thabang Kholumo to help bring services to his constituency.

“They know that I always cry before them in parliament. I have never stopped crying about the suffering of my people. They have put trusted me to be their representative in parliament,” Mothuku said.

The MP was speaking at the launch of the KFC Lesotho Add Hope, a programme that is meant to bring hope to rural communities.

He said it was unacceptable for people in his constituency to continue to rely on generators for electricity.

“It is totally unacceptable for Manamela, an urban village, to be confined to the usage of generators for them to watch their TVs or turn on their radios or charge their phones,” he said.

“They don’t know what is happening in their country because they don’t listen to news often,” Mothuku said.

Mothuku said he had recently met Minister of Energy, Selibe Mochoboroane, to discuss ways of bringing electricity to his constituency.

He said the village of Ha-’Makuini could be connected soon.

Mothuku said the other biggest challenge they are facing is that two of his schools in the constituency have dilapidated classrooms.

“Schools here are just a shame. Ha- ’Makuini Primary School roofs were blown away by the wind and walls damaged for a long time,” he said.

“I am told that when it rains students and teachers get wet and cold during their lessons. When I enquired what the school was doing to help fix the place and how I could help they said the minister of education had promised to come and help,” Mothuku said.

“But it is long overdue, we are getting into winter and something needs to be done”.

Mahali Phamotse, Education Minister, said she was aware of the two schools’ needs and that she was already working towards refurbishing the schools.

“For the past week I have been visiting schools to see the conditions that they are in and I would like to let you know that some schools are operating under harsh conditions,” Phamotse said.

“We are trying very hard to make the learning environment suitable for all children. I have seen worse situations of schools and I am happy to say my team and I, Ntate Mothuku, have both the schools in your area to be looked into,” she said.

Phamotse said they are also working very hard to encourage more private sector businesses to join in the development of schools.