Look who is the backbencher now
By Scrutator
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T WAS such a sad sight to watch the Democratic Congress (DC) leadership at a press conference last Wednesday. There they sat on the front table deflated by defeat.
‘Me Lepono, the dancing queen of the DC, tried to dance the misery away but the energy just wasn’t there.
Soon she just slumped into her chair and starred into the ceiling.
There she remained glued, catching her breath, until the press conference was over.
She was probably thinking of the good days that were just about to end.
When she looked at her five colleagues at the high table, she saw nothing but backbenchers.
She must have said: “Damn, these backbenchers are not worth dancing for”.
The supporters who had crowded the press conference as if they are journalists tried to raise the morale with praise songs for Pakalitha Mosisili but you could see the message from the electorate had sank.
Not even the gyration of the singers could sex-up the mood.
If you had listened carefully you would have heard that the sound from the foot stamping was louder than their singing.
The reason: they were venting their anger on the floor.
Someone should have told them that the State Library is a fong-kong building that cannot withstand such thundering blows to its floors.
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hen their deputy leader Monyane Moleleki started explaining what most of the people at the press conference already knew.
In the end it was not clear why the press conference had been called in the first place.
He could have just said: “Ladies and gentlemen we have 48 seats so a government can’t happen. We have no friends in parliament. We are finished as a government. Thank you for coming”.
But the cunning Moleleki had saved the best for the last.
The press conference was about to end when Moleleki dropped a mischievous hint that, with hindsight, Scrutator thinks was actually the purpose of that press conference in the first place.
He said the DC could form a minority government.
There are two possible reasons why Scrutator thinks Moleleki mentioned a minority government and DC in one sentence.
Its either he was dead serious about doing something so daring or just using the propaganda skills he learnt in the then Soviet Union to divert attention and test the waters.
If it was for propaganda purposes then it worked wonders because soon after the press conference analysts, activists and pseudo-analysts went into overdrive.
Some dejected DC supporters actually became hopeful.
But it is the pseudo-analysts who were really sold by the propaganda.
They scrambled for the constitution and perused the law books.
Yes a minority government is constitutional but it still requires the numbers, was the answer they got.
Unable to find anything illegal about the idea of a minority government to feed their garrulousness, they turned their attention to the idea of a coalition government instead.
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he pseudo-political analysts are now saying we cannot have a coalition government because it will be weak.
Well, that’s the worst drivel Scrutatorship has heard since her armpits started growing some hairs.
We have been ruled by an absolute monarchy, a colonial government, a dictator and a military junta.
We have had a pseudo-democracy and an illegal coalition government.
Nyoe, nyoe, nyoe, they say, we can’t have a coalition government because it is fragile.
Phew.
The last time Scrutator checked the last government we had was an unelected one.
Who, in this country, voted for the Democratic Congress (DC) on February 28?
One day it was a faction within a ruling party and the next day it was a ruling party.
If we can tolerate an unelected government then why not a government of three political parties that form majority in parliament?
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crutator will tell you who is really scared of a coalition government. It’s not Pakalitha Mosisili because he probably wants to go.
In fact Scrutator is reliably informed that he has started moving his things from the State House bit by bit.
Those close to him tell Scrutator that the man from Tseolike urgently wants to rest.
Mosisili knows that a minority government under these circumstances will be dangerous and that even if he pulls it off the next five years will be a living hell for him.
He knows that if he goes ahead with a minority government he will not be his own man.
He will have to cut deals even to get the budget approved in parliament.
And if he pisses off even one MP in parliament he will be booted out of government before he can even say “yours truly”.
The people who are afraid of the coalition government are terrible elements in the DC.
Yes, I said it!
And I will say it again before the cock crows thrice.
Yes, the DC is full of dubious characters with long fingers.
They are afraid that the coalition government will come before they have pulled their long and calloused fingers out of the cookie jar.
It’s not that they want power to serve the people, no.
They just want to continue stuffing their fat pockets with more ill-gotten goodies.
These are the people, the hawks, who want to use Mosisili just to cross River Jordan.
Mosisili is their ticket to Canaan.
The problem is that Mosisili is the Moses who won’t be crossing with them.
The DC’s Joshua, Mahaletere, is a political nobody without Mosisili.
He lacks the intellectual gravitas and some say his credibility tank is near “E”.
So the DC will not be crossing River Jordan.
Its journey ends here and now.
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e don’t need a minority government because we have been ruled by two such governments over the past 15 years.
There is no doubt that the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LDC) and DC administrations, which were led by Mosisili, were minority governments.
Oops, I meant to say they were governments of the minority.
Why, you may ask.
Simple: those governments hated the majority with a passion and adored the minority with zeal.
The evidence of this is there for all to see.
Under the LCD and the DC 60 percent of Basotho remained in abject poverty.
The parties neglected agriculture, a sector that sustains the majority in this country.
They set the minimum wage which is earned by the majority at scandalously low levels.
The majority had no jobs and passports.
Only the minority had access to electricity and clean water.
It is the majority that spent hours trying to cross the border into South Africa during the LCD and DC administrations.
Diamonds were only benefiting a minority while the majority wallowed in poverty.
The majority of civil servants were earning peanuts. Tenders were being handed to a minority.
Remember who sold Mercedes Benz cars for a measly M4 000 to the minority.
The minority were getting scholarships to study abroad.
Under those governments the corrupt people, who are the minority, walked with a spring in their steps while the police stood arms akimbo.
My point: we are done with this minority crap and we must move on.
Only a desperate or scared politician will talk about a minority government under the current circumstances.
Yes, it might be constitutional but in the current situation it remains a desperate agenda of a desperate minority.
The election result has clearly shown that Basotho want a coalition.
They want a mixture of parties in their government.
If they wanted the DC to be in power alone the people would have given it the 61 seats it requires to form a government.
The same applies to the All Basotho Convention (ABC), the LCD and the Basotho National Party (BNP).
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astly, Scrutator would like to allay fears that she is jealous of Tom Thabane’s sudden rise.
Some irate people actually called the newspaper to make that allegation. Mmmmm!
Now listen carefully.
There is nothing special or challenging about running a government in a country like ours.
What’s there to run anyway?
Anyone can run this country, all they need is commonsense.
It’s nothing special.
Why should Scrutator be jealous of a 70-something man running a country with 1.8 million people, 1 million goats and 2 million cattle?
Give me a break.
If you think his government will change your fortunes then you can believe that you are not your mother’s child.
Don’t raise those hopes too high because you won’t stomach the disappointment.
Ache!
Scrutator29@gmail.com
Comment by Spotlight on 7 June 2012:
Ea pota ngoetsi….
Comment by Batho on 7 June 2012:
Good article Scrutator, the truth needs be told. I heared some people are queing at Mr.Thabane’s home already to get their names in the list of those who will be given jobs. I agree with you, people should not raise their hopes too high.
Comment by mak2002 on 7 June 2012:
you are right about one thing scru….basotho have spoken….they need a coalition government, the numbers say it.
ntate thabane should concentrate more on the improvements of the agricultural sector….it has been neglected for a long time and also the tertiary sector.
Comment by rose on 7 June 2012:
yona e ya pota hle
Comment by donald trump on 7 June 2012:
what a biased column.. i just wonder which inst u graduated from ka journalism. this industry will never improve in this country cos you guys let your personal beliefs influence wat u write, your choice o words is horrible. i congradulate the soon to be PM Hon. Thabane on achieving this great change we so much graved.. Gr8 respect be reserved for the DC thou for showing all parties how to behave when the nation calls for change.
Comment by Seoli on 7 June 2012:
“The minority were getting scholarships to study abroad.” A sad truth. but here is the point, why spend so much money sending “minority” to South Africa whilst neglecting the only university you happen to have, the university which, if supported, could provide the same courses students receive expensively elsewhere? How on earth do you justify spending in SA and Malaysia many times the amount of money you spend in your own university? “Anyone can run this country, all they need is commonsense,” scrutator would like you to believe. The truth is, there is nothing as uncommon as commonsense, at least in this country.
Comment by Lakzino on 7 June 2012:
Scrutator ke poho ya mosadi. Dammmmmmmmmm
Comment by manito on 7 June 2012:
mind u own zim business! we want to focus our energies of building a better nation, and here u are talkn rubbish!
Comment by Mokoena Majara on 7 June 2012:
“….But it is the pseudo-analysts who were really sold by the propaganda…..”.
Please refrain from calling me a pseudo analyst. please.
Comment by Minority Gov. on 7 June 2012:
Well said Scru!!! Basotho are free at last.!!!!
Comment by majii on 7 June 2012:
Scrutator, I love you, will you marry me…! Well put.
Comment by Pulane on 7 June 2012:
Say it like it is Scrutator!!
Comment by msello on 7 June 2012:
what happened to “Mosisili will rule this country till hens grow teeth”? just wondering because this words are quoted from your past article…
Comment by makirikiri on 7 June 2012:
bana ba rekisetsang machaena Lesotho ka ho ba patalisa G each ba bone Tom re batla lestho le hloekileng
Comment by makirikiri on 7 June 2012:
ke re ba bone bruur . chaen hale kena mqne airport le ntsa G.
Comment by livoski on 7 June 2012:
Not your best article, but I still love you. Can we meet!?
Comment by Aunty P on 7 June 2012:
I do not think at this juncture anyone has energy for such emotions as jealousy. Either you are happy or angry or cautious. I did not really voted for any party to win…. I voted for change. If I were in the mountains, I was going to vote for LCD. But because I was in town, I voted for ABC… I wanted Mccd and Leqe out of Government.. Period… Mission Accomplishe!!!
Comment by TMAKHOOANE on 7 June 2012:
TEL U WHAT SCREW,,,,WITH PPL LIKE U THIS MEDIA THIN WI NEVER GROW,,,STOP PERSONALIZING THING BT RATHER BE PROFESSIONAL,,IN CHANGE I BLV TIL WI C SOME CHANGES…..
Comment by SETUTLA on 7 June 2012:
Failure isn’t missing the shots, Failure is never even trying in the first place.
Comment by INTERNATIONAL on 7 June 2012:
VICTORY BELONGS TO THE MOST PERSEVERING NTATE MOSISILI NTSE RE U RATA MOFOKENG
Comment by Rmajafi on 7 June 2012:
clear n precise but never tell the truth in this country if you want to live long.
Comment by Phasemane ke hae on 7 June 2012:
Ea Pota Ngoetsi! Hape ea Pota Ngoetsi! Ke hona li tlo phinyetsana linakeli! beke ena e tla fela ho bolile!
Comment by litlena ke litsheho on 7 June 2012:
scrutator hee oa bua joale, aoo ME LEPONO li ea ja liea roba ngoaneso
Comment by Ace on 7 June 2012:
@msello ke hopola mantsoe ano ka hloko a ne a buuoa ke the same scru, ha a o arabe or else ke ilo sheba likhoho tsaka na lina le meno ke tsebe ho lumellana le eena. She must swallow her pride.
Comment by Organic on 7 June 2012:
shooo Scru, you are one of the kind. I love you
Comment by mokoena on 7 June 2012:
The best article ever, ha u tshoane le bane ba LTV hona tjena ekare tsuonyana tse fosuoeng ke phakoe
Comment by NO! on 7 June 2012:
Ele hore LTV kea Mccd or kea Lesotho. Kapa ntate eo o ne a se a ruile naha ee?
Comment by Popo on 7 June 2012:
I don’t think it is correct for Mosisili to say D C have won the May 26 election. Records show that D C garnered 48 Parliamentary seats, translating to 40% of the 120 seats (and the other parties got 72, which translates to 60%). If Mosisili claims to have won the election why is he not installed as the prime Minister? On the same breath, the same Mosisili wants to pride himself in his preparedness to vacate the sit he occupied since 1998 and his party to assume the position of being a loyal opposition. It is also pleasing to hear Mosisili admit that his administration was full of nepotism and rampant corruption. That brings one to the question whether he would co operate if Thabane / Metsing coalition government institutes investigations into alledged theft and misappropriation of huge amounts of public funds. There is a word doing the rounds that Mosisili has since obtained assurance from his fired Minister of Comminication that that won;t happen. It is also rumoured that a number of D C’s M Ps want to rejoin L C D in the prospect of Mosisili retiring. My view is that Mosisili may not complete the term of the 8th Parliament. What I see as a potential implosion of the D C is the likely succession war between Semano Sekatle and Monyane Moleleki immediately Mosisili calls it quits.
I foresee a nasty fight about positions (which could paralise service delivery) back stabbings and jobs for pals in the coalition government immediately Ministerial positions, Permanent Secretaries, District Administrators and Ambassadors posts are concerned. One just prays this should not result in the break up of the fragile arrangement to the detriment of the electorate.
Comment by Leqe on 7 June 2012:
Goodbye Mosisili
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOTOpIQKJtU&sns=em
Comment by letoala la popota on 7 June 2012:
not so long a go u said Tom Thabane wl neve b Lesotho’s PM,wat d u sy nw scru?coalition gov wl b a success cn fil it in mi blood,Lesotho le Basotho pele.
Comment by masemouse on 7 June 2012:
“If you had listened carefully you would have heard that the sound from the foot stamping was louder than their singing.
The reason: they were venting their anger on the floor.”
Wasn’t there but could actual see the show. So amusing, I just laughed my head off!!!
Comment by Ralechate Mokose on 7 June 2012:
batho ba kolonyama ke entseng e kale ha le sa nkhetha, feela ke entse mantloane, ke lemme t’saane che lekhopo le ntima mokhoa oa ho leqetsa le bo ntate moleleki, che ha hona taba ke tla buela botichereng ke qhoeloe ke choko,ka mokho ke neng ke bolile kateng ,ke t’saba mapolesa a ka nna a mpitikisa hobane ha ke sa hlompheha. ‘nete ke thebe sechaba re bapetse ka sona for 15 yrs Ebe Nyatsi eaka Mamotoboli ha re sa hlahe le khekhethang re tla etsa joang? che ke ntse ke o rata,
Comment by masepa ka kopin on 8 June 2012:
SCRU..JY BLY DIE KAAK..journalist tsa lesotho hala ruteha,look how u rationalise such issue with your biased comment,lebana bahlokang ho fuwa departure in dis country cos halena tsebo ya bojenalist..no wonder why south africans dislike u..cos yall full of kaak like a toilet..
Comment by jojo on 9 June 2012:
@masepa ka kopin. I didnt know there are still people as smart and mature like you. Why the valgur on a civil platform like this. Will i be asking too much of you if i ask you to grow up. Its no too late to grow.
Comment by masepa ka kopin on 9 June 2012:
@jojo..ma bad,just got too much pissed by de article..sorry abt dat..withdraw ma comment yo
Comment by Jojo on 9 June 2012:
@masepa ka kopin,Did you even read the article or you were just angry before you read it. Read it again my dear and you will learn lots of things. Read it slowly, i say. I used to have the same mentality about scru but the moment i started reading her articles between the lines i found that i enjoyed them even if i did not agree with her at times. This is satire my dear, nothing serious. Just laugh it off and get on with the business of living.
Just laugh it off, getting pissed is a waste of time.
Scru will not stop waffling. She has not stopped since she started a few years ago.
laugh, masepa ka kopin, laugh.
Comment by masepa ka kopin on 9 June 2012:
@jojo..got a point right der..i’ll read between lines your
Comment by LEO-TY on 10 June 2012:
I believe that we do not need a rocket science to develop a coutry as small as Lesotho with so much resources . We only need passion and determination to do good . The country has got water , diamond and agricultural resources to name but few . If these resources are managed properly , we could turn around the cycle of poverty within a short period of time . We need to establish a goveernment mining company to mine along side those private sector mining , these would quite segueniefficantly improve our fiscas .
Comment by MOANANONG on 11 June 2012:
I agree with your sentiments a lot of times…however, your last remark is not helping our situation even if it the future does look bleak. The coalition government does have a mammoth challenge ahead…I must correct you that nothing is impossible. With the right leadership (This is where Ntate Tom comes in) our fortunes can be turned around. I have witnesses a man change what appeared to be a hopeless situation into success and I was part of that success…Turning Crisis into an Opportunity.
Comment by spenza on 11 June 2012:
@ MOANANONG
I totally agree with you. While Scrutator always provides us with interesting reading, often funny and occasionally enlightning, we do not, at this juncture, need her doomsaying attitude. We have all recently been reminded of the incredible power of the media to foster change. Let people like scrutator use this power to build something good here. it is in the air, and if she can not smell it, then that is her problem.
Comment by spenza on 11 June 2012:
@ Jojo
Look, satire is ok as long as it is tampered by responsibility. Look at would be satirists like Zapiro who have forfeited all sense of humour to wage a private war against Zuma. He is the joke now.
Comment by jojo on 11 June 2012:
@spenza, for own information Zapiro is still the most respected cartoonist in Southern Africa. If he was a joke dozens of newspapers in SA would have dumbed him a long time. If Zuma and his people dont have a sense of humour thats their problem. Africans must loosen up a bit. They are too serious for nothing.
Comment by AGIAN on 11 June 2012:
batho ba kolonyama ke entseng e kale ha le sa nkhetha, feela ke entse mantloane, ke lemme t’saane che lekhopo le ntima mokhoa oa ho leqetsa le bo ntate moleleki, che ha hona taba ke tla buela botichereng ke qhoeloe ke choko,ka mokho ke neng ke bolile kateng ,ke t’saba mapolesa a ka nna a mpitikisa hobane ha ke sa hlompheha. ‘nete ke thebe sechaba re bapetse ka sona for 15 yrs Ebe Nyatsi eaka Mamotoboli ha re sa hlahe le khekhethang re tla etsa joang? che ke ntse ke o rata,(DONT WORRY NTATE HA HO KA MAHLAPA LE KHOBOSO ENA KE BANA BA BA HOLISITSOENG HAMPME MOTHO KA MONG KE IPONE SA LAPA LABO NTSE KERE HA RE THOLONG TIME WILL TELL)
Comment by chehe on 11 June 2012:
ke ipatla ke le embassing, ha re jeng banna
Comment by Tamil Tigers on 12 June 2012:
@Batho
Ha!ha!ha! hee basotho ke lirota ele kannete! Ba koloka ha ntate Thabane ho batla eona nepotism eo ba neng ba qosa ntate Mosisili ka eona? Ba bona eka nepotism & friendship e monate ha e etsoa ke bona ba buang haholo? Hee, bohle basotho ba ntseng ba koloka ha new prime minister lere le batla mosebetsi, mosebetsi ha o eo ‘musong hleng, khale Thahane a entse suspend new recruitment for financial year 2012/2013. Thahane had already budgeted for and suspended all new posts (new recruitment) because he said due to recession, Lesotho government has no funds to sponsor/hire new people. If Ntate Thabane can just go overseas (US or China) and ask for a new loan, its then he will be able to create new jobs and recruit. For this current years, there’s no chance, you will have to wait for new financial year 2013/2014 starting from April 2013. Forget it, you will not get any jobs on govt this year I assure you guys out there. Don’t ever fool yourself. Government’s new positions have to budgeted for. You can’t just get a job/post from nowhere in govt.
Besides, I think all those secretely going to new prime minister’s house to be put on the list for employment have now started promoting corruption and nepotism whilst on the other side they were talking too much accussing ousted prime minister that he had used nepotism and corruption to recruit other people. What about you guys who want to be treated different from the others? Do you think you are so smart here in Lesotho? Thats why I said we will experience no change at all in this new govt because basotho are very corrupt!!!
Comment by Tamil Tigers on 12 June 2012:
@chehe
U ipatla u le embassying? Ke eo NEPOTISM. E ntle ha e etsoa ke lona ma-ABC? Ke ka hona re itseng ha ho phetoho e tliloba teng mona. Ho mpa ho fetotsoe joki fela pere e ntse ele eona!!!
Comment by Tamil Tigers on 12 June 2012:
Che re ‘mone mong’a ABC Lesotho TV a thabile haholo a thabetse hoba ka ofising eo esaleng a loants’a e mong hore a tsoe a tsebe ho kena. Ha!ha!ha! Che, re se re tla bona kaha ho bua ha ho ts’oane le ho etsa. Feela motho oa ntate ha a le lefufa, hee ke ntho’e mpe e hlabisang lihlong. Kea ipotsa hore na ke mang ea sa ntsaneng a tla organisa li-stayaway tse sentseng moruo oa naha ea Lesotho joaloka lilemong tsa bo 2007,2008?
Comment by Ke pana poho e bohla on 12 June 2012:
@Seoli
Che, oa seka pota le khale. Ebe u nahana hore ho na le motho ea neng a ka re qobella ho kena NUL e maketseng eo hobaneng? ‘Na le ngoanaka nkebe ka mo isa NUL hohang ha ke e batle. Haeba ha u ea fumana monyetla oa ho kena South Africa kapa Abroad, ke tabeng ea hau, tlohella hoba bitter. University e senang lifacilities eo e fetoang leke Machabeng ele High school, ebe re ne re ka thabela ho kena ho eona joang?
Laela bana ba hau feela, empa eseng Lesotho lena kaofela. Ebe ke mang motho ea ka kenelang ka ROMA hore a tlo victimisoa ke basotho ba senang kelello bao ba rutang ka sekolong seo se maketseng se senang le meaho e khahlehang? Haeba ele lilecturer tse nepahetseng, keng ha bana ba bona ba kena bo Rhodes, UCT,Wits, Pretoria le SA varsities tse ling, ba sa kene kamoo ka ha bo ntata bona le bo ‘m’a bona?
Comment by Dicki-Pap on 12 June 2012:
I envy you Scru. Everytime I open the tabloid I read yr column 1st. Keep it up. This time around I felt like I was there in this conference.
Comment by Silky on 12 June 2012:
Tell it like it is! we’re free at last! we suffered under puso ea Mosisili a re re busoe ke batho ba hlotsoeng mabatooeng! khelek, lehlanya re ea le bokanela re le katele!
Comment by Da mosi on 12 June 2012:
Nice tip dir! Kip it up! Hopolang Local Govt workers ba kene mesebetsing joang from District Council Secretaries to truck drives or even cleaners hm! Corrupxn at its level best former govt ruled by Re-Mosisili.
Comment by N.M. on 13 June 2012:
He u bitter ba u bitsang scrutator.
Comment by N.M. on 13 June 2012:
Tsa mooa koana wena sekuruthatha sa mosali haeee!!
Comment by lefefooane on 13 June 2012:
ke bona mathata haholo hoba the main motive of the so-called setlamo/kopanelo sa a small African Country was targeted at one MOST HATED INDIVIDUAL MCCD
setlamo ha sepotele, e khoathoang ka lehlaka lenyalo ha se potele e k hoathoang ka lehlaka … haholo la sethepu more than three wives!!! motho o hopola bo “animal farm” behang cabinet rona re potlaketse botona le ho ea lli embossing etc lefefooane nake o nkhopole ha u kena paradising ke utloa hothoe o tlo ba letona la toka le lichankana..congrets!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Lethula MF on 13 June 2012:
@Silky, u lla ka hore ‘musong o fetileng le ne le busoa ke batho ba hlotsoeng ke likhetho mabatooeng; lebella hore na ntate Menepe eena o tla busa ka bafeng.U tlo bolele hore na Phooko,Pheko,Nts’enyi,Thesele, Soulo le Moletsane ba hapile mabaooa afeng.
Comment by lefefooane on 13 June 2012:
ke ipatla ke le embassing, ha re jeng banna ke nako ea rona
Comment by lefefooane on 13 June 2012:
@Lethula MF
se ka nkhathatsa matla le Nts’enyi o sa khutla? kenthoena keitseng na mpe ba ikise li embassing
Comment by lefefooanenyana on 13 June 2012:
@lefefooane
u se ka ntsiea bashaa oa tseba re mafahla
Comment by Lethula MF on 13 June 2012:
@Lefefooane, Nts’enyi le sochoana e mona e bitsoang Rants’o e ne le li-ring leader ha ho loants’oa Dr.Moccd.U ka re ka sehoba se moo se bitsoang Soulo seo ekang ai Tom o tlilo se etsa letona ofising ea PM?