Thabane unveils coalition’s policy blueprint
MASERU — Prime Minister Thomas Thabane yesterday unveiled a policy document he says will guide the coalition government over the next five years.
The document comes nine months after Thabane’s All Basotho Convention together with the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and Basotho National Party (BNP) formed a coalition government following a general election last May.
Launching the policy document at the State Library auditorium yesterday, Thabane said the document was an amalgamation of the three parties’ election manifestos to “reflect the views of the parties forming the coalition government”.
The policy focuses on land allocation and repossession, the fight against corruption and job creation.
“Government will implement the allocation and repossession of land by devising policies on the protection of agricultural and residential land as well as laws and regulations to review existing land laws,” the document says.
“There will also be a revisit of land allocation laws in Lesotho as well as structures established to deal with land allocation as well as restoring land allocation powers to local government authorities.”
In an attempt to achieve maximum production in agriculture, the document says the government will strive to protect land by fighting soil erosion, devising a proper policy on the allocation of residential sites, helping farmers with irrigation equipment and meeting farmers halfway with inputs such as seeds and manure.
It adds that it wants to grow Lesotho’s economy through utilising the country’s natural resources including minerals, water, tourism and “everything else with the potential to help boost the economy”.
To achieve this, the government will establish a National Planning Board “to advise and follow up on implementation of government policies for economic growth”.
On the issue of natural resources, the policy says, government will devise clear policies to ensure that Basotho benefit from them “especially those from areas which they are mined”.
“Government will also establish a body called the Mining Authority to offer guidance on the administration of all issues pertaining to mining,” the document says.
“On the aspect of water government will use water to generate electricity, expand its distribution and enable the poor to also have access to it.”
To further grow the economy, the government says it will develop clear policies outlining how many jobs an investor is expected to create and how such an investor is expected to work with Basotho businessmen from all business categories “for the purpose of alleviating poverty and growing local businesses”.
“For the improvement of people’s lives and the creation of jobs, government will develop clear policies on the construction of roads, dams and retail space for all people to have a piece of the economy,” the document states.
On the aspect of education, the government says it plans to revive the sector by restructuring the education ministry by ensuring that the level of education offered responds to the core needs of the country.
“Government will also empower and improve schools by developing them in sport and upgrading their libraries while providing sponsorship for tertiary education depending on the financial capacity of parents,” it adds.
“Government will also revisit and review the rules and regulations on which the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) operates and improve the sponsorship fund.”
On the issue of crime, corruption and fraud, government says it will develop a policy to fight fraud and corruption and empower the directorate on corruption, government accounting and audit department, the police, courts of law, the Ombudsman and the Legal Aid.
“We will also put into effect a policy on the Declaration of Assets by senior government officials and form relations with independent local and international agencies dealing with fighting corruption,” the document states.
To enhance the livelihoods of factory workers, shop assistants and domestic workers, government will look into options for the provision of transparent terms of engagement, and a review of their salaries “by establishing the Wages Advisory Board to conduct inquiries into how their salaries can be improved”.
According to Thabane, the policy document was subject to scrutiny adding that those with misgivings were at liberty “to criticise us”.
“We’re an open government and ready to be held accountable if we do not implement the content of the policy or deliver as promised,” Thabane said.
“If you hate it, like it or partially hate it, you are at liberty to say so. But judge us for what it is.”
Comment by MADONDO on 7 March 2013:
SCIENTIFIC TERMS SOUNDS BETTER “FERTILIZER” INSTEAD OF “MANURE”,ha u re manure ekare hothoe gov.wil subsidize moiteli,i would humbly request bo ntate Lits’oane 2 giv agriculture a different view as opposed 2 field crops,it’s more risky 2 invest on field crops.
Comment by keizer on 7 March 2013:
these is a good policy but point of clarification. does the government has enough money to subsidies the manure/fertilisers and irigation pipes. Who will be the invester? Basotho or Chineese? How long will it take to impliment these policies? At what rate will the economy of lesoyho will be expected to grow? How many job oppotunities willbe created? We are 100% supporting our goverment and its policies.
Comment by lesotho haeso on 7 March 2013:
How come Mr Thabane says that in a policy document he is going to still create a policy for police, corruption. Why is he giving us a half baked cake. He hasn’t factored those in and never will
Comment by LEKHOARA on 7 March 2013:
We have to embark on commercial farming, haele subsistance farming eona kannete re ntse re lihela chelete ka nokeng. The government invests huge amounts of money on agriculture, and instead of harvest we get excuses all the time “pula e nele haholo, komello ebile teng e.t.c” while our neighbours S.A harvest is very good.
Comment by ELEMENTS on 7 March 2013:
we fully behind the policy, and pray to GOD to give them strength, wisdom to carry out the outlined policy.
Comment by Nakeli on 7 March 2013:
Isn’t anyone surprised that this blueprint talks about DEVELOPING policies instead of actually DOING something tangible? Re itlhotse re le sechaba. Ha ke so bone naha e tjena.
Comment by Thakabanna on 7 March 2013:
The policy document wouldn’t have come at the right time – I salute the coalition government for this bold step!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by sandile on 7 March 2013:
As long as the the government don’t do enough skill audit in all the ministry and understand that implementing technical things needs well trained technicians, which does not come cheap, we will have good policies without being implemented. Listen to this, early this year the government advertised a post requesting an agricultural engineer (preferably MSc) and offered to pay the engineer grade H to lecture students at agric college. GOD HELP US!!!
Are you aware that the government undermines this skill? Are you aware that no technical irrigation can take place without irrigation/civil engineers? how do the government pay a geohydrologists or a hydrologists? I mean MSc or even PhD hydrologist not a BSc geography graduate from NUL. Where on earth have you seen a government which have handful PhDs? You go to malawi, tanzania, ethopiah PhDs in government are all over. And we expect to harness water, a highly technical procedure, without engineers?
Comment by Bobete on 7 March 2013:
this is a repeat performance of what we hear every year during budget speech. now we want the how do we ahieve/implement these policies strategies. enough talk more action.
Comment by Lillo on 7 March 2013:
HALALA!! I believe in this coalition. Neither one of the parties want to a coalition again so i believe that will urge them to work in their sectors. God is looking over our country, Arise!! Its our TIME!!!
Comment by matsucs on 7 March 2013:
pray un2 God dat this rilly works,w r tired of people tlkn empa ho sa phetahale
Comment by mohlalefi on 8 March 2013:
Lumelang Hleng! Bana Ba ‘Ntate.
Ha nka ka Bitsetsa Basotho [SADAC]: Joalo Ka bo Nyeo Le bo Nyeo.
Le Nsaeletse ka liNtja!
Comment by Lefefooane on 8 March 2013:
Well said Thabane: I noted with care the following policy positions:
1. “There will also be a revisit of land allocation laws in Lesotho as well as structures established to deal with land allocation as well as restoring land allocation powers to local government authorities.”
Like I said before mccd and LCD/DC sold our land by ammending the famous land act of 1979 which barred froeigners from acquiring our land. Thanks, if that stupid land act of 2010 will be revoked. Lesotho land should solely be for Basotho and not for foreigners as DC did with that notourious land act of 2010.
2. Establishment of the mining Authority will be a good thisng instead of giving all the mining powers to one man ea litelu like potoana did. Stupidly Potoana gave the foreigners almost the entire equity in the mines while the Basoth were left with a mere 24%. Again, the DC policy only focussed on the 24% while we in the ABC say that Basotho(Not Lesotho firms) should benefit from the entire value chain of mining industry. In that we will transfer power to the people instead of transfering the so called revenue to the beuracrats/muso.
3. Establishment of the planning board.
4. Declaration of assets and interests
5. Then you will have my vote.
Comment by mohlalefi on 8 March 2013:
Bra Lefefoane.
Some times you are Coool!Meet me on facebook {SEsotho}
Chao!
Comment by SEFANKA PULE on 8 March 2013:
KE MASHANO FEELA ANO A ‘MUSO OA KOPANELO,BATONETSE MAHLO HAKALE CHELETENG, HONA E LE CABINET E MAKHOLOKHOLO CHE.
Comment by Senotlolo on 8 March 2013:
Well done!! However, you need to clarify how policies will be translated into implementable action plans with clear timeframes; how outcomes will be measured; how capacity issues will be addressed; and what social accountability mechanisms will be developed to ensure relevant, transparent and effective service delivery.
Comment by Thuhlo on 8 March 2013:
On agriculture, much is still left. How will the farmers know the rates of fertilizer application without improving the research department and to see that there are fertility research going on to give to farmers recommendations. Again, in this era of climate change we need crop varieties that will survive drought and excessive rainfall but without having tested different varieties on our conditions, how will the recommendations be given to farmers?
I guess not only in agriculture, the government need to consider research as one mechanism for the betterment of Botho’s lives. This, will need trained personals with technical know how. Research seats at the heart of development, without it, development is only a wish and a talk.
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