’Maseribane gives Mosisili ultimatum
MASERU — Basotho National Party (BNP) leader Thesele ‘Maseribane says former premier Pakalitha Mosisili must choose between receiving benefits due to a retired prime minister and representing his Tsoelike constituency in parliament.
‘Maseribane was addressing a rally at Thota-Moli that was attended by hundreds of youths cadres clad in their colourful regalia.
He said it was only prudent for Mosisili to decide if he wanted to resign from his constituency to enjoy the benefits of a retired prime minister or “relinquish those benefits and remain the Tsoelike MP”.
“You must decide what it is that you want. Are you representing Tsoelike or not? We have been humble, bestowed respect upon you by providing you with an official vehicle and bodyguards,” ‘Maseribane said.
“In spite of all this you still represent Tsoelike in parliament. I Thesele am opposed to it all. You must make a choice. Get ready to make a choice.”
Mosisili, who is the main opposition Democratic Congress (DC) party leader, relinquished power last May after his party failed to form government.
Although he stepped down as premier after a 14-year stint at the helm of country he still held on to his parliamentary seat he won in the May 26 election.
’Maseribane said Mosisili should decide now what he wanted to be.
“It’s Basotho’s taxes paying for your upkeep and even on your birthday you have bodyguards providing you with security. Prepare yourself to make the ultimate choice,” he said.
’Maseribane, whose party is in a coalition with Prime Minister Thomas Thabane’s All Basotho Convention (ABC) and Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing’s Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) said they had been patient with Mosisili since last June when they assumed power because “we wanted to leave the responsibility to make a choice to him”.
“We’re not in a hurry because we want to see just how much you (Mosisili) respect yourself so that we can make a decision thereafter,” ‘Maseribane said.
’Maseribane also accused the previous government of wasting the public’s money by creating laws to take care of former leaders.
He then referred to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister (Retirement and Spouses’ Benefits) Act, 2010 which provides for the former prime minister and deputy prime minister’s spouses to qualify for pensions by virtue of being married to these leaders.
He called for a review of the clause on the wives’ pensions.
The Act cites that the spouses are entitled to 25 percent gratuity on their monthly allowances after two years of their husbands’ tenure of office as compensation for giving up their professions to support their partners.
“People are saying that the clause addressing the pensions of the wives of the PM and DPM should not be reviewed because it was by the sirs (Mosisili’s administration),” ’Maseribane said.
“What are they saying? That we should shamelessly squander the public’s money and just lick our tongues afterwards?”
Opposition MPs in 2010 united in condemning the proposed Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister (Retirement and Spouses’ Benefits) Bill 2010 after it was tabled in parliament in September that year.
The MPs told the Lesotho Times at the time that the Bill was “a nasty piece of legislation” aimed at extorting public funds.
They said the Bill was an unnecessary drain on the fiscus considering the recent global economic meltdown and Lesotho’s economic status.
Some MPs also argued the Bill was discriminatory as it did not extend a similar provision to ministers, MPs and civil servants. They said they will look at ways to ensure the Bill “is not discriminatory”.
The Bill argued that there was need to facilitate for the increment of the retirement benefits of the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister “while extending the provision to their spouses as well”.
The Bill was nevertheless quickly passed, repealing the Prime Minister’s (Retirement and Benefits) Act, 1997, owing to the fact that Mosisili’s party at the time commanded the majority seats in parliament combined with those of its alliance partner the National Independent Party (NIP).
Speaking at a similar rally, Home Affairs Minister Joang Molapo said the DC seemed to harbour the impression that it was a smarter political party than others for successfully having deputy leader Monyane Moleleki as official leader of the opposition in parliament despite the previous government denying Thabane a similar privilege in 2007.
According to Molapo, Thabane was denied the same privilege by the former national assembly speaker despite deserving “to be the official opposition leader as he had the support of the opposition”.
“But he has not been vengeful. He did not challenge Ntate Moleleki’s nomination as official leader of the opposition despite him not being the DC leader,” Molapo said.
“He thinks he’s smarter and that some of us know nothing about these issues.”
Among those who attended the rally were deputy health minister Dr Nthabiseng Makoae, party chairman ’Makhotso Mats’umunyane, deputy home affairs minister ’Malebitso Ralebitso and deputy secretary-general and incoming home affairs principal secretary Ranthomeng Matete.
Comment by Scorpion on 21 March 2013:
Mr Maseribane seems to be maturing like wine. The older it gets the better it becomes. Se ka mo fa nako e telele haholo Ntate. Likhutsana lingata hampe kantle ka mona. Ha ke nahane monghali a na le lihlong. Mothuseng!
Comment by semenekane on 21 March 2013:
Khidik! Li-benefits tse ngata hakaana ke molemong oa eng? A re senyelitse hakaana ka ‘muso oa hae oo e ne e ka o seselitsoe ka bobolu. Ba – These taba eo ha e etsahale ka pele kaho panya hoa Leihlo
- akhethe hore o nka li-benefit tsa bo MP kapa tsa Botona-kholo
- Li-benefit tsabo Tona-kholo li fokotsoe by 50%
Comment by Mabuketsa on 21 March 2013:
o monyikili kapa o mosikili? Nka qeto pele re re fefenene ho uena.
Comment by cantryman on 21 March 2013:
Ho bona banna! Evry dog has it’s day, this is ur time. It’s either they dance to your house music or ba e hlabe ka mönkhoane. I like whn thngs r like this!
Comment by Batho on 21 March 2013:
Spot on Scorpion, hehehehehehehehe !
Comment by Malikotoana on 21 March 2013:
Hmmk! Maseribane banna a sena le lebatooa o ikutloa joang haena ele Letona?
Comment by Patriot on 21 March 2013:
Ache hona ke hose tsotelle Basotho le Naha ka ho ikoalla ka khafa tsa rona, hao banna botho ke motho o inahana joang!
Comment by Tsotsi on 21 March 2013:
Ehlile motho ea neng are Mosisili o kopa MAQA o na buoa ‘nete. Haho ho motho a ka phakang poleiti tse peli ho le thata ha kaana. Ho bona coalition menyollo ena.
Comment by Thakabanna on 21 March 2013:
hahahahaa ihlile u nepile Morena Thesele!!
Comment by Ntja e khop on 21 March 2013:
Isang satane eno e “size two” Holland koana nke ba lo mo ahlola for manslaughter. satane eo re li khutsana tjena ke eona ka hore bolaela batsoali le bana ba rona ka 1998 mona. jwale le sa motlohelletse abe ‘ne a palame koloi tsa khafa tsa rona le ntho eo ea hae. no man!!!!! rea leboha ntate Thesele
Comment by Monatala on 21 March 2013:
ha re bana Thesele. Mosisili is entitled by Act of Law to such benefits. So wt do u do s a policy maker/’musi 2 ensure tt such absud benefits cease. have u eva proposed the review in parliament? mosisili will democratically b disempowered his benefits thru amendments of the Act(s) e seng ho ea ka lipolotiki tsa hao tse bitter
Comment by Tom Tom on 21 March 2013:
Ba nahana hore ba betere ho feta batho ba bang,ea bona nako e felile joale ba etsa lerata le hlokang ‘moko-taba! Rona ba pusong ha re loane le bona,empa bona ba ikeme ka ntoa! Morena Thesele,sebeletsa sechaba sa heno ka toka o khaohane le ba tsekang moea! Atleisa Lesotho le Basotho!
Ntho e ‘ngoe le e ‘ngoe ena le nako!
Comment by Mose-ho- Seaka on 21 March 2013:
Maseribane o tsebang ka lebatooa ele motho oa khekhethane, tsamaea o hanneng ho kena sekolo olo likela matjoing a mount moorosi koana.
Comment by Lenasi on 21 March 2013:
Helele Luneeee!!!! Le itse le na le batho … BAKAE????
Comment by semenekane on 21 March 2013:
Batho ba rata lintho tse senang kelello oa tseba. Lebatooa le thusa Thesele ka eng? Akere Thesele ke e mong karolo e bopileng ‘muso oa coalition? Joale mathata a lona a ho kae Ma-Pitsa? Tlohang mona baloi ting!
Comment by lefika on 21 March 2013:
@mose-ho-seaka:u dnt sound lyk sum1 a keneng sekolo moholoane,it is ovious ur uncle pakalitha & co thought they were going 2 b in power 4ever whn thy made those acts.jwale thy cumup ka bo tsotsi bo cheap,ba etsa moleleki thr parlarmentary leader hore a fumane li benefits le ena.ur tym is always up boys
Comment by Moemo on 21 March 2013:
Go in parliament, change the law & stop preaching!
Comment by LEO-TY on 21 March 2013:
@Scorpion ; “Maseribane matures like a wine ; Iagree .after many years of political drought within the ranks and files of the party . BNP was finally blessed with a leader of Leabua calibre . Someone who can think , plan , strategise ,organise ,execute a plan and finally talk common sense to many . that is what singled out THABANE amongst all other members of LCD and made him what he is today .
Ever sine i knew the fomer PM , he does not have the above mentioned characteristics of a good leader ,so the only way is to push him out unceremoniously like Maseribana is suggesting .
Comment by selehe on 21 March 2013:
The Basotho National Party has 5 Members of Parliament out of 120? How representative is their voice?
Comment by ELEMENTS on 21 March 2013:
LET US CHOOSE FOR HIM, HA A EE TSOELIKE KOANA, KUMBULE EKHAYA.
Comment by I hate PM e makopo on 21 March 2013:
Utloang sekatana sena hle banna se sa kenang le sekolo.Hobaneng joale o attacka le Metsing ka hore o na ile birthday partying ea Ntate Mosisili? Maramanyana uena u sono moshana heso, ba u entse underwear ma-national ana le matoala haeba sekhoalita batlo e lahla. Ha baka lekana ho theha ‘muso ba le bang ka 2017 u nyeler. Watch the space bari ea mahobong!!!!!
Comment by Gazzebo on 21 March 2013:
ntate “maseribane a e bua ‘nete banna! esale ke sa e utluisisi taba ea molao ono
Comment by Mochecha-fat'se on 21 March 2013:
Thot its only ur foolish faithfuls Mr Mp who do talking without actions. If u think he’s lutin funds then propose amentmend to the act in parliament mos! Fools
Comment by toala on 21 March 2013:
Aha…ne le itse ho tla ba joang…le ba chabetse kajeno; haiiie hae koana e lo kokona masapo!!
Comment by Sakunyane on 21 March 2013:
Khetha khetha satan size 2. Re ea e felisa dc nyana ena ea lehloeo nxa e arolang basotho.tlholo,toala,ea fofa nonyana
Comment by Khomo ea Molatelle on 21 March 2013:
HOJA OA BUSA PELE NAKO E FELA. LEHLOHONOLO LE TJENA HA U SA HLOLE U LEBONA BOPHELONG BA HAO.
Comment by kakapa on 21 March 2013:
‘Mosali-moholo ‘Maseribana kea bona u hloka ho pepa!
Comment by Lepitsa on 21 March 2013:
Ea ska pepeta ngoetsi e ncha ‘Maseribane, O fihla ka melao mo Pusong? Che kea utloisisa, ha aso fuwe moeletsi. Ngoetsi tse ncha lia eletsoa li seke tsa itlontlolla. Kapa o jele nku ea hae ea koae joale oa photholeha?
Comment by Mabaka on 22 March 2013:
E RENG THESELE A BALE PELE A BUA PLS! WE UNDERSTAND HIS EXCITEMENT EA HO BA KA PARAMENTENG A SA NAHANA!
Comment by Siba-la-mpshe on 22 March 2013:
Ebe Morena Thesele o re tsoela kae ka taba tse monate hakale? Ke ne ke cho kare ntja e ngoe e tla emela mafoforetsane a oelang tafoleng ea morui. Ha a khethe na o nka efeng a ska ja ka mehlare e ‘meli.
Comment by Mawande on 22 March 2013:
Lithata taba tsa Lesotho, ae size 2 ha ka khethe hleng, a ka tlohele meharo ea hoba katse pakeng tsa nama le lebese. Re khathetse ke potoana ena ea baloi. Ho bona coalition gvmnt! Ha ba rate le lintho tse ntle ntho lisele tsena. Hoja la thola mapotoana khale le ahlamisa melomo ena ea lona, re sa utloile ke lona. Fotsek!
Comment by Sakunyane on 22 March 2013:
Khetha,khetha khetha ho lebatooa kapa koloi.oa ja kapa oa phuthela linyane la le dc khetha bethuele khetha pele re u khethela khetha
Comment by kotola on 22 March 2013:
Haele hantle hase hantle ho lakaletsa mo2 emong lefu!fela jwale size 2 ena swapano ke shap ka ena!kore mo2 enwa ereng hao utlwe. Ka ena ebe kea nyekelwa!ka ‘mila lepantsola Tswedike moemetse!
Comment by molete on 22 March 2013:
Motho enoa oa Bnp,o stsehisitse hoo. joale mona o lla sa mmokotsane.”joale nna ha ke na ho fumana letho le mosali oa ka!likhapha!! joale ha ke sheba bo bra Tom le bo bra Waters le basali ba bona ba tlo tsoasa nna doo!ache molao ona o kampa oa feela.”O rialo ha alla lekunutung la pelo ea hae. O reng? molao oo o ka loka ha o ka ananela bohle le matona? chelete ea sechaba e tla be e sa sengoe then? ha e ajoa bathong ba bangata? O ipatlela mejo enoa motho!!!
Comment by Lai Thekhe on 22 March 2013:
Mofu Ntate Rets’lisitsoe ‘Maseribana ha ane a fenetha BNP one a bua puo tse tjena tsa bokhopo. Ba araba Basotho ka ho furalla mokha oa bokhopo. Tsoela pele moetapele re tla bona hore naa BNP ka tlasa boetapele ba hau e tla hlola lefe lebatooa.
Comment by Motlhokoa Jr on 22 March 2013:
Funny how public policies are made; ke mang ane aka nahana hore okeke wa ja seo ose lemmeng? kea e ts’aba check and balance ya government system!!! Lintho tse ling li hloka ho buoa ka boitlhompho hore li boloke seriti coz rona Basotho re rata ho fetola meelelo ea lipuo tsa batho hampe to fit our preferences
Comment by molomo mosehlanyana on 23 March 2013:
ke bona eka joale letlaa qoba lerole hobane patolo hetle motho putlalala mahlanya ore lebo matsaratsa a perame ketlo bakhitlopa
Haho pepetoa hakaale ke ma DC ka hooa ha ‘muso ebe etlaaba bothata ba borikhoe hotsoa ka hlooho hobane hoitsetetsoe le makhotleng a litoropo koana entsele mathata haeke puso kee ncha ,joale Qacha eona ebolile ka mak’hanselara apotoana antse a ile le khongoana holimo ka bobolu.
Comment by cantryman on 24 March 2013:
O e bone maseribane.
Comment by windows on 24 March 2013:
Maseribane has not won any constituency, his party failed to win a single constituency, PFD did even better. That’s history. He is now a member of a government and he has to be taken seriously. What he says about former PM enjoying benefits from both sides is worth looking at. As is the case in most situations, our laws tend to be silent on very important scenarios as it never anticipated them. Moleleki is a leader of opposition in parliament and for that, he has been given pecks that befits his position, those pecks did not go to Mosisili, a former Prime Minister. He (Mosisili) deliberately gave Moleleki that platform. A noble act. If he gets MPs salary, then it is worth looking into the matter. having said that, I want to know whether all those pensioners have stopped collecting their pensions once they get employment elsewhere? Or is it the size of his purse (pension) that creates jealousy. There are pensioners who have been employed on contracts by government and or private sector, do the laws say their pensions gets suspended once they re-enter the job market. That is the fundamental issue here and has nothing to do with Mosisili. What happens when former statesmen are given assignments by government? Do they get paid or the state says they should rely on their pensions? If that assignment is given by the constituency? Maseribane should look into these important aspect, otherwise he will appear foolish and personal against former prime minister, he also should count his blessings for the current nature of politics that gave him this status and platform, as his party is a shadow of what it once was during its hey days.
Comment by Vampire on 25 March 2013:
Ache! ‘na kea teneha ke motho oa monna a tla lula a
tletleba joalo ka mosali.Maseribane o itse o batla puso
ho tla lokisa me ho senyehileng.Jwale o e thotse .
mohlolo o lutse a re hloliha ka ho nyoefela, o re rona
re etseng? Nxa! Kapa ke hona a ntsa eketa na?
Comment by Rametse on 26 March 2013:
Haoo banna le ba basa hapang leha ese ele lebatooa feela!Ha a fumana le ha ese ele 1000 feela lebatooeng la hae empa a ipitsa moetapele.
Comment by Lebohang Moleme on 26 March 2013:
lebatooa ha le thuse Ntate Thesele ka letho bt ho etsahalang ke hore u pusong nd rona sechaba re hloka li service tse ntle,ule le DC,ABC,BNP.
Comment by Dash on 26 March 2013:
Manashenale ehlile a ikutloa a hlile a busa! Shame!