Very high and unrealistic expectations

Before we start, I would like to dedicate a special song to all politicians in Lesotho as a theme song for the current election campaign season.

This song is titled ‘Promises’ and is sung by the legendary Brenda Fassie. Please search it on Youtube and play it on full-blast whilst reading this piece. I like the part that goes; I’m tired of promises, promises. Cause they turn, turn to lies, turn to lies!

Before we delve deeper into this week’s piece, I would also like to congratulate Maseru City Council (MCC) for winning a Diamond and Golden Arrow award from PMR Africa.

The award was in recognition of the following: A clean environment in Maseru City, job creation in the city, crime fighting in the city, social empowerment and development, attraction of local and foreign investment as well as tourism development. Re’a ba lebohisa. Re re, pele-ea-pele! (Job well done. Forward you go).

I seem to have touched a raw nerve last week when I said Basotho men are dishonest and untrustworthy. For some, it was the same feeling one gets when they are at a dentist and the lignocaine (local anaesthetic) hasn’t quite settled in and the dentist touches a nerve. ‘Ouch!’ No, I stand by I what I said. Basotho ke litsotsi (Basotho are unethical people).

I was prompted to write this piece sometime in June 2022 due to a worrying trend I’ve observed concerning the newly established, Revolution For Prosperity (RFP) political party and allow me to explain why.

At this stage, all we can do is speculate. However, by analysing the latest trends leading to the October general elections, the RFP stands a chance to gain a lot of Proportional Representation (PR) seats in parliament, of which could place it in a favourable position to be part of a coalition government.

Well, I’m not so sure about winning most constituencies but my analysis is that the RFP may secure ten constituencies at the most. This is my analysis. The 60 +1 goal by the RFP is completely out.

Let’s build a hypothesis and say: assuming the RFP has enough PR seats + ten Constituency seats that could allow it to lead the coalition government, this may come with a set of very tough variables.

It will not be a smooth ride in power for the first two years and allow me to demonstrate how and why.

The first reason is that expectations towards Sam Matekane are just too high. The electorate is extremely desperate and expects Matekane to perform miracles and to perform them instantly.

However, rampant inflation has turned the global economy up-side-down. As a result, there are certain variables that will be beyond Matekane’s reach and direct influence. These variables could make his tenure in government very uncomfortable.

I am referring to variables such as the rampant fuel price inflation, sky-rocketing cost of food (food price inflation), shortages of food from global markets and unaffordable electricity prices. These are variables that could be outside Matekane’s direct influence.

But the most worrying thing about the RFP is the infiltration of desperate and unscrupulous business people that are out there to make a quick buck, assuming it gains power. Why do I bring this up?

When the ANC got into government in 1994, Nelson Mandela asked to govern for one term. Do you know why? Because expectations were just too high.

People were expecting miracles from Mandela but he had grown too old to lead. So to avoid making fundamental mistakes that could tarnish his reputation, he opted to go for one term.

But one thing that Mandela highlighted to former president Thabo Mbeki, was that, the ANC was infiltrated by criminal elements and not legitimate ‘comrades’.

He was referring to people that were absent in the struggle and had no sympathy to the plight and emancipation of the black people. These were people that entered the African National Congress (ANC) as opportunists to ‘eat’ and pillage the movement.

Guess what? The ANC government failed to ‘vet’ the comrades. It was a situation of, ‘come one, come all’, and the results were devastating. These corrupt people infiltrated the ANC and introduced the rot in the ANC-led government.

This is exactly what happened to the All Basotho Convention (ABC). Because of desperation of gaining party funding, it ended up taking money from very unscrupulous people.

And what happened? Those unscrupulous people expected a lot from the ABC. They demanded ministerial posts and government tenders. As things stand, the ABC government could go in the history books as one of the most corrupt governments Lesotho has ever seen. I guess, only history will be the ultimate judge.

But the biggest threat to the RFP is that all these scavengers that hop from one political party to the next one are usually highly mobile. They move from one party to the next one in search of the biggest chunk of bread.

Not everyone that has joined the RFP has joined it for good and noble intentions. By observation, they are there as a way of positioning themselves to be in prime positions after elections.

I’m telling you, these are going to be the most problematic set of people should Matekane be elected Prime Minister and this will be the demise of the RFP.

On the other hand, the electorate is very desperate. Desperate for jobs, healthcare, education, housing public safety (policing) and food security. On top of that, the rising cost of living (food, electricity and fuel costs) have added to the burden.

However, the most challenging aspect will be a corrupt, bloated and incompetent civil service. It will undermine all efforts to steer the ship in the right direction. Civil servants will not make it easy at all because they are now accustomed to very bad habits like showing up at work and doing nothing (purposeless motions).

Last but not least, how will Matekane handle a bankrupt state? What will happen to the debt in excess of M2 billion towards suppliers (SMME’S)? Will the debt be written off? It surely won’t be an easy ride for Matekane. It’s going to be very tough!

In closing, I was told of a funny story of a 4+1 driver, that vowed to dump his 4+1 cab in the road the minute Matekane wins the elections. Mainly because Matekane will surely give them jobs at the diamond mines.

I mean, this is the kind of desperation and expectation I am referring to. Very high and unrealistic expectations. And if Matekane fails to deliver promises on time, the electorate will grow impatient and desperate for change.

All in all, the best thing that Matekane needs to do is to contain the promises and expectations towards the electorate.

Having presented all these points, in your observation, is Matekane the right candidate to curb a cancer named corruption? I leave that question to your imagination.

‘Mako Bohloa