Government has neglected Maputsoe: BNP
MASERU — The Basotho National Party (BNP) has accused successive governments in power since 1993 of neglecting Maputsoe, Lesotho’s second biggest town.
Addressing an election campaign rally on Sunday, BNP leader Thesele ’Maseribane said there would be no nationally-driven economic development if any of the congress parties wins the May 26 election.
’Maseribane accused governments that had been in power since the re-introduction of democracy of stifling development in Maputsoe’s industrial and residential areas.
Maputsoe, the second largest industrialised town after Maseru, has only one tarred street, Sir Seretse Khama Road that was built under the BNP government in 1971, ‘Maseribane said.
He said the military junta that seized power from Leabua Jonathan in 1986 built at two dilapidated tarred lanes running between factories in the industrial part of Maputsoe but none in residential areas and other parts of the town.
’Maseribane said it was mind-boggling that since the Basutoland Congress Party (BCP)’s landslide victory in 1993, and under the rule of its breakaway Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), no other roads were built in the town.
He said the congress governments, including “the self-imposed” Democratic Congress, do not have any sound explanation why they let Maputsoe to lag behind in terms of development.
This is all despite that Maputsoe collects more revenue from the government than all Lesotho’s towns, except Maseru, he said.
“The developments you see in Maputsoe were made many decades ago by the BNP government under the leadership of the founder of this party, Chief Leabua Jonathan, whom I respect very much,” ’Maseribane said.
“These congress party governments cannot claim anything in Maputsoe because they left it to rot while they misuse revenue collected from it in their luxurious offices in Maseru,” he said.
“It was Chief Leabua who developed this town and its development ended during those years.”
Maseribane said the BNP had plans to build silos countrywide to improve food security but the BCP and its successive governments dumped the plans “because they do not have your interests at heart”.
“The very same congress leaders often say in the past Lesotho used to feed itself but they never mention that it was during the BNP rule.
“I appeal to all congress party members to vote for us and we will guide you,” ’Maseribane said.
He promised that the BNP would strive to strengthen the economy from where Jonathan had left “since these congress leaders have done something that was hostile to development ever since they took power”.
’Maseribane said the Lesotho Highlands Water Project royalties and the dividends the government gets from its companies would be used for creating jobs if they win the election.
Lesotho is paid about M40 million per month in royalties after selling water to South Africa’s Gauteng province.
Speaking at the same rally, the BNP deputy leader, Joang Molapo, said Maputsoe deserves to claim its share of the economy.
Molapo, who is also the constituency’s election candidate, said it was unfair that Maputsoe does not have even a single technical school.
“Young workers, job seekers and youths raised in Maputsoe deserve to attend school here but the government has not seen any need to build such an institution,” Molapo said.
Comment by Leraba on 3 May 2012:
TLHOLO!!!PELE EA PELE LE TLASA MATHATHA!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by tsimo kholo on 4 May 2012:
BNP ha e kampa ea re thusa ka phema mefere-fere ena e bonahalang e rena hara mekha e teng ka hara Lesotho ha re hateleng pele re le sechaba se ratang Molimo oa sona ke mantsoe a morena Leabua Jonathan
liqoaketsano tsena tse teng mekheng li pakahatsa hantle hore babusi ba Lesotho kajeno ke makanyane a baikhabi
Lesotho le bile kholehong ka lilemo tsena tseo maconcorese a busitseng Lesotho
Ho Moetapele ke re Ntate le khutlisitse tsepo ea Basotho
ka ho tsosa BNP re kopa ke hona hore lokollang sechaba sena sa Basotho litleneng tsa likhukhune tsena tsa Ntsu Mokhehle sebelletsang poelano le khotso Lesotho
Comment by monna thaba on 4 May 2012:
MAPUTSOE STAFF, FORGET ABT UR 3MZ, U NEED TO BE SUPPRESSD 4 MORE THAN 20 YEARS 4ROM NOW. LE NTLONTLOLOTSE KE LETSEPILE ‘ME HE KE TLO LE OTLA HO LATELA LIPHOSO TSA LONA ESENG TSA MANG KAPA MANG. HOORE NA LE NE LE RONNGOE KE MANGMANG HA RE SA TSEBA ‘ME LE LOKELOA KE KOTLO. KE TSEO HE THOLOANA TSA HO ETSA LINTHO HOBA MOTHO E MONG A LI ETSA.
Comment by Silky on 4 May 2012:
Batho ba Maputsoe ba khetha ka bohlasoa bo tsabehang! akú bone! Mokhethoa oa bona o tsetse habeli in five years, what a disgrace. Nobody takes that Lebatooa seriously, it has turned itself into a joke! which Parliamentary Committees is Mokhethoa oa Maputsoe in? find out! useless Committees, he should have been interested in hard core development issues not soft issues like …………..
Pick up the pieces Hon. Maseribane and Molapo!
Comment by matete on 4 May 2012:
pele ya pele
Comment by matete on 4 May 2012:
ya mathata!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Lethula on 5 May 2012:
Morena Thesele a bitse manazi ane a ho baleha Hang-hang a sala ‘the old,the useless and the hopeless’ oa toala morao ho eketsa litulo tsa PR kaha ke sa lumele hore a ka hapa lebatooa.
Comment by lintle on 6 May 2012:
Ruri re malimabe ba ahi ba Maputsoe!
Toelopele ea rona ke Maciena a renang in the business world here in Maputsoe. You can count not more than five business ran by basotho
Comment by Khatibe on 8 May 2012:
Batho ba Maputsoe, as a warning never trust BNP. Ke party ea marena and we all know their sense of entitlement will make them forget about you after you vote for them. Vote LCD. The new LCD, clean of corrupt elements. LCD committed to work for the people not the elite few.
Comment by Kokota on 8 May 2012:
To all who posted comments in favour of BNP empe ebe ha le bue feela le tla hle le e khethe. “Sechaba pele”
Comment by Khatibe on 8 May 2012:
@Kokota, then only 4 pple will vote for your BNP including you. Now you just have to decide which constituency you all going to vote under. Kwakwa, BNP eona its a joke. Anyway good luck with your 4 votes.
Comment by Leraba on 8 May 2012:
BNP HAE TSOANE LE LONA MOCONGORESE LE PUTLAMISITSENG NAHA ENA LE EFUMANE ENONNE ELE MANONI KA LEBAKA LA BONYOLLO BONA BOTENG KA HARE HO PUSO EA LONA.
BNP HAE NCHA HARETLA TABENG EA PUSO, LETLAQALA HO BONA HORE LESOTHO HASE MANTLOANE ANA AO LELE FETOTSENG ONA KUOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.NTJA ETLASALA ELE MOKOTO!!!!!!!!!!!!