Mofomobe fingers govt for SA parliament address twist

… Govt Spokesperson Sekonyela strikes back

’MANTŠANG KHUTLISI

MASERU – Basotho National Party (BNP) leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe, has alleged the government had a hand in sabotaging his invite to address issues of importance in the South African (SA) parliament last Tuesday attracting a fierce push from government spokesperson Thabo Sekonyela.

The opposition BNP leader Mofomobe – a fierce critic of the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP)–led coalition government – made the sensational claims after his name was removed from a list of speakers to address the SA August House in Cape Town this week.

According to Mofomobe he was ‘honourably’ invited to address South African parliament about issues related of Home Affairs and Basotho’s ill treatment in South Africa on February 11.

Mofomobe wrote a letter last November to the SA Parliament Committee Secretary, Eddy Mathonsi, after South Africa published an article concerning the immigration Amendment Bill (B8-2024) where he pleaded with South Africa not to imprison Basotho for 90 days rather urging for a consideration of at least 30 days.

Mofomobe had stated in his letter that 90 days’ imprisonment “is a bit harsh on Basotho as this would amount months of continuous denial of freedom while only waiting for a simple and foreseeable fate of (deportation)”.

After South Africa declined his endeavor, Mofomobe would later say, “the Government of Lesotho has sabotaged” his vision to assist vulnerable Basotho residing in South Africa.

“This is the first time after 23 years that The Republic of South Africa initiates such Amendment and Lesotho with its government failed to grab the opportunity,” he said.

Mofomobe sorrowed that while he wanted what is best for Basotho, “they voted for a heartless government.”

“This stonehearted government hired buses to move Basotho from South Africa to Lesotho to vote for them only to disappoint them,” Mofomobe added.

Furthermore, on his Facebook page, Mofomobe said the government is sleeping on the job.

In a later interview government spokesperson, Thabo Sekonyela, said Lesotho would not have a say in the journey or so called anticipated address before the selected or otherwise parliamentary portfolios of South African parliament.

“It is far-fetched illusionary hypothesis to contemplate this government could have had a decisive say in the cancelation of an event in which it was not even initially invited both as participant or an onlooker,” he said.

He added that the private arrangements remain solely private and as such they are relegated to the exclusive domain of “honourable Mofomobe’s handlers, sympathizers, sponsors and cheerleaders, for a private citizen of a sovereign state who deliberately, arrogantly and knowingly undermine the legitimacy and legality of his own government borders on outright delinquency and embarrassing leanings towards a dictatorial system of government.

“With due respect, Machesetsa needs to be reminded that not even during the reign of his predecessor, Dr Leabua Joseph Jonathan (former prime minister) who was close to the then ruling apartheid regime in South Africa and its leader Dr Hendrik Verwoerd than he is to the current coalition government in South Africa today, was never afforded an opportunity to address the South African parliament,” Sekonyela said.

He said the standpoint is clearly indicative of respective sovereign states making and observing clear-cut demarcations when it comes to who can speak in their parliaments.

Speaking about the government of the day’s position, Sekonyela said, “we believe in the pecking orders and declared Jonathan’s wish-list on acquiring adjacent border towns of Fouriesburg, Ladybrand, Wepener and the likes. Verwoerd could not dare invite Jonathan to address the South African parliament.

“For Machesetsa to claim this unprecedented privilege is not only unheard of, it amounts conclusively to a treasonable act taking into consideration his democratically diminished political stature,” Sekonyela profoundly stressed.

Sekonyela expressed his sadness on Machesetsa’s days in governance and government saying “his days have long been brought to closure by the voting masses of Lesotho, this is why he will not tell even those South Africans he wants to visit why he commands an inconsequential three hundred voters in his home district of Quthing.”

Taking on the much discussed Dr Tšepo Lipholo’s land petition to the United Nations, Sekonyela said for the first time in many years, Basotho are enjoying an apparel freedom of expression and movement and this is extended to all its citizens including Dr Lipholo “as a citizen for this country, and a privileged member due to his status in parliament, he is free to visit any country in the world including the United States, Israel and or any other countries as he may wish.”

He, however, said in no uncertain terms that government is not interested in curtailing his movement, but is interested in “curtailing his propensity for misrepresentation locally or internationally.”