Thabane responds
MASERU — Prime Minister Thomas Thabane yesterday defended the size of his cabinet saying it merely reflected “our government’s nature”.
Thabane said former prime minister Pakalitha Mosisili had missed the point when he compared the sizes of the two governments as they were formed under different circumstances.
“Ntate Mosisili is being unfair to compare the sizes of the two cabinets because this one is the exact reflection of the three parties which came together to form government,” Thabane said.
“There’s a perfectly logical explanation for the size of our cabinet. The number of our ministers is proportionate to the number of parties forming the coalition government.”
After the May 26 election failed to produce an outright winner, the All Basotho Convention (ABC), Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and Basotho National Party (BNP) turned down overtures from the Democratic Congress (DC) but instead cobbled up their votes to form a coalition government.
Although Thabane admitted that his cabinet was indeed big, he said the former premier had raised the issue at the wrong time because “our circumstances are different from his”.
“Yes, I did question the size of Mosisili’s cabinet solely because his party was the ruling party, not a coalition. He also appointed ministers at his own discretion, which is more than we can say for the coalition government,” Thabane said.
“I would understand his question in the event that the ABC was government alone but still repeating that which it condemned before it became government.”
Thabane also denied charges by Mosisili that the size of his cabinet was meant to return favours and was a threat to Lesotho’s economy.
“The size of the cabinet is by no means a way of returning favours. We’re merely setting a platform for acceptance and tolerance among Basotho. It’s also not a threat to Lesotho’s economy,” Thabane said.
However, Thabane added that he hated exchanging cheap shots with Mosisili because “he’s a very senior and respectable person”.
“From the bottom of my heart, let me declare that I hate trading words with Ntate Mosisili because he’s a very senior person in status,” Thabane said.
“I’ve no intention of exchanging silly words with Ntate Mosisili because he was my boss, I worked under him and that makes him very senior to me.”
The premier told this paper that his government was busy pushing for effective service delivery despite complications created by civil servants who had “become used to idling”.
“It’s hard to deliver effectively, although we’re getting there, because of civil servants who were not in the least used to service delivery. But things have changed,” Thabane said.
“We’re now focusing on delivering where it’s possible without harming the public purse and jeorpadising the economy. We’re focusing on the basics to protect the nation and maintain stability after a peaceful election devoid of conflict.”
The premier said the successes government had begun to achieve within its proposed 100-day benchmark included attempts to revive the agricultural sector and rooting out crimes of all nature.
“We’re succeeding and a good example is the operation launched by the police and military to fight stock-theft in the mountains and crime in general,” the premier said.
“All we need is to be given a chance to deliver. We’re not saying the coalition government is a remedy to all illnesses, but we’re saying we can make a great difference in this country, for our people.”
Comment by Nthokasefubeng on 2 August 2012:
Mosisili ha ake akoale ntho ejang lehapu ena a shebelle na ho busoa betere joang.
Comment by halakasha on 2 August 2012:
It looks the leader of oppostion is starting to do his job. Let’s hope he will succeed in this newjob, unlike zero performance in the previous job.
Comment by mju on 2 August 2012:
Tom is trying to justify the unjustifiable here. If he had once contended that this country’s economy would not cope with pressures of the cabinet as big as 23 people, what more with 30 people? Why did he in the first place opt to form coalition with smaller parties that would favour the bigger spending at the expense of the staggering economy of the country? In other words he is declaring his lack of wisdom and rationale behind his choice of the best partner to form a stable govt for the benefit of the entire people of Lesotho. He just followed Ramainoane blindly. Hlokomelang nako ea papali e felile.
Bahlanka bona ba rutiloe ke eena hore ba se ke ba sebetsa, empa ba ee mosebetsing. He is actually having a taste of his own medicine. It is bitter but he can drink, MCCD drank it before.
Comment by Tseko on 2 August 2012:
Ka utloa ke soaba hore ke utloe Tom a re its hard to deliver effectively. Joang joale? Uena o le active hakale? Puso ha se papali ntate. O ne o e sheba eka ke ntho e nyane. Cabinet ea Tom, e hlile he was trying to return favours, feela kea cho kannete, ha hona motho a ka eang holimo le tlase mahala..Ha ho jooe Thabane ha ho jooe. Nyolla tsohle tsohle hore o le fe bo malome ba rona rona. Ea investment eona, its a process which involves talks with DOCTORS not Misters, they will rarely here you, if they will.Hase feela Tom a reng o hlompha DR, its simply because, o motobile kannete.
Nthokasefubeng, o ipuela feela joalo ka leoatla ntate. U just comment for the sake of commenting. ha u na Basis, Khutla u ke u inahane.
Comment by tsimo kholo on 2 August 2012:
Ha ke nahane ho hlokahala ho Tom hore a arabisane le Mccd haholo likoranteng taba tsa mofuta ona lina le platform ea tsona mokha oa bohanyetsi o lokela ho khothalletsoa ho sebelisa monyetsa oa ho ntsa maikutlo lingangisanong tsa paramente e seng phepheseleng li lahleheloa ke moelelo Mccd ene ele boss ea Tom empa joale seeta ho lla sa Tom,shebana le mosebetsi oa ntlafatsa Lesotho le Basotho tlohela Mccd a ilo oela matjoing o leqelitse le ba mphato oa hae he just confirmed hore o ne a hira ka sephephechana we do not need input ea nepotism le corruption a clean Governing will minimise country expense,there is nobody who can question Ntate Tom capability and experience He been there all along ha mebuso entse e fetoha ka hara ea Lesotho o tseba lithloko tsa Basotho haho moo Basotho bakileng bare ba hloka likamele Lesotho kapa Matona a baloang hara Barui ba Lefatse empa Basotho ba lapa mme ho bolelisakoa hore naha ea lapa
Comment by Maru-mats'o on 2 August 2012:
What I find fascinating about Ntate Tom’s response are these words, “From the bottom of my heart, let me declare that I hate trading words with Ntate Mosisili because he’s a very senior person in status. I’ve no intention of exchanging silly words with Ntate Mosisili because he was my boss, I worked under him and that makes him very senior to me.” These are very statesmanlike and conciliatory words that show that he wants to make peace with Ntate Mosisidi, and wants to maintain cordial and professional relationship with him as his former boss and colleague in politics. These words set the tone and example for us as followers to cool down and strive for social harmony and avoid hurtful rants. I appeal to all of us on this forum and the entire nation that we should desist from stoking the political fires and sowing seeds of division and hatred unnecessarily. The book of books says in Matthew 5:9, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”. Unfortunately most people are peace-lovers but not peacemakers; some are actually troublemakers, bent on using hate speech 24/7, and causing social tensions. We have become a laughing stock of other nations for far too long. This is the time to make peace and forge social cohesion. Unfortunately, as sensible people we allow ill-disciplined, bitter people with no sense of morality to set the agenda for us and whip up our emotions. Likhomo Basotho!
Comment by Seruoe on 2 August 2012:
Aaa kajeno ho bohloko ha ntate Mosisili a etsa mosebetsi oa hae oa bohanyetsi, ha maoba baa aba pusong ba ne ba mo seholla ka hore mmuso oa hae ke oa masholu o sa utloeleng sechaba bohloko, ba iketile ka tsohle tse ka silafatsang puso ea ntate Mosisili, those silly things have been said before and a itholela nt. Mosisili a tsoela pele ka puso. ha aka a ea lipampiring ho lo araba,ha o nooe moriana ona le ha o baba.
Comment by monnannete on 2 August 2012:
The fact of the matter is that Lesotho can afford to have an expanded cabinet. Though MCCD’s cabinet was small, ho leqetsa hono meant effectively we had a cabinet of 50. But its good that he is an active opposition, that will keep Thabane and his other members on their toes and not relax.
Comment by kompi on 2 August 2012:
Mccd still thinks he is still calling the shots, u ke ke oa tla laela on the size of our cabinet monna, shut ur mouth.
Comment by Deborah on 2 August 2012:
KA TLA KA UTLOA KE O HLOMPHA HEE NTATE TOM…… OA TLOHELA NTHO TSE CHEAP TSA MA DC….. EKARE O KA BA TLOHELA BA HOBULA HOFIHLELA BA FELLOA…… MCCD IS NOT WORTH. I DONT EVEN SEE WHY YOU RESPECT HIM. HE IS A CHEAP MAN AND NOTHING IS SENIOR. EXCEPT THAT O NA LEQETSA FOR 15 YEARS AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS. KE O HLOMPHILE HLE NTATE TOM…. O NA LE BOIKOKOBETSI… HA KENE KE LE OENA, NKABE KE HASA PHAFA, NTJA TSENA LI PHASEPHASE.
Comment by BigDog on 2 August 2012:
Ntate Tom chose to respond to this issue in a completely incorrect manner. Instead of commenting on the make up of the coalition government, he should have rather highlighted the state of the country and how much work needs to be done(hence more ministries)- he should have highlighted that although there are more people in his cabinet, they would be more efficient and less wasteful/frivolous as the previous government. Instead he chose to cement MCCD’s point that he is returning favours. I wonder if our political leaders have advisers, or if they just respond to everything from the top of their heads????
Comment by David on 2 August 2012:
He utloang banna,ha DR Moccd are Tom a phethahatse lits’episo eena ore haa etse exchange of silly talks….. Feela kea mots’oarela hobane eena ka ‘nete o lutse ka seleseng….. Hahahahahahahaha
Comment by pit on 2 August 2012:
i wonder at what point is Ntate MCCD going to question taba ea hore PS’s and DPs’s are full of the mosisisli name.I wonder weather he feels the Mosisili name and affiliates has been inflated beyond reasons in top management structures and diplomatic posts.Ntate thabane is being humane and i applaud him for that,but something has got to give Ntate Mosisili is abusing the goodness of people and using everything to fight them.I dare him to admit he put his children and family in a very difficult position by handing giving then these positions.Ntate enoa ha ana lerato le botho……….
Comment by Oa Lihlaba on 2 August 2012:
Indeed motho ea itlhomphang a keke a besale a fapanyetsana mantsoe mo ho sa hlokahaleng. The coalition govt of course is not a panacea for all difficulties, empa re batla ho bona hore na ba re etsetsang ‘me it is too early to judge them while they have just assumed office within a short period of time. The size of the cabinet reflects the nature of formation of govt and if they are going to deliver, so be it.
Comment by Tebang on 2 August 2012:
The size The number ministers is proportional to the no of parties? Does it mean that if the no of were more we would expect more ministers?so we say it is not the return of favours? You are kidding!
Comment by Da mosi on 5 August 2012:
What ever it takes but now we are free to express our ideas that is why Mr.Mosisili is telling us of his investments and may be why he was not that interested in fighting for freedom of many who have lost but now he needs Mr.Tom to help him to yeild! Mr. Tom if you can go behind Local government and take out those who have been picked by names to fill positions with nothing to produce as to competence I will honour your rule in this country!
Comment by Lerato on 8 August 2012:
Ntate Mosisili ke utloa a nkhopotsa ntate Thabane ka mora ho hloloa ke likhetho tseo a neng a le confident hore o tlilo li hlola ka 2007. Ntate Mosisili o futsitse ntate Thabane hantle ka ho lla ha a sa atleha ho busa kamora ho lebella joalo. Ntate Tom o ne a nke two years hantle a ntse a lla, kahoo re se ntse re lebeletse hore le ntate Pakalitha o tlilo nka two hantle a ntse a lla. Che haele hantle re tlameha ho tloaela boemo bona hore bo ntate haba hlotsoe ke likhetho hore ba tsebe ho busa, ba tlilo lla bosiu le mots’eare.
Ke ka hona le ntate Thabane ha ke bala litaba tsa hae mona, o ntse a arabetse hantle ha ho moo a buileng hampe hobane le eena o ea utloisisa hore ha u na le tebello ‘me e sa phethahale kamoo u ratang na ke bohloko bo bokae. Kahoo o ea tseba hore ntate Mosisili le eena o tlilo nka two years a ntse a llela lebese le qhalaneng joaloka eena ha a ile a nka two a ntse a le llela ka 2007 empa kamora lilemo tse peli o ile a fola kannete a ba bonolo hape. Joale o ea tseba hore le ntate Mosisili o sa ntsane a le bohloko hajoale kaha ho sa le hocha empa kamora lilemo tse peli o tlabe a folile a se a le bonolo hape. Che kea li ts’aba lipolotiki, ke ithutile hore na ke hobaneng ha linaheng tsena tse hlaha boralipolotiki ba bolaea ba bang hore ba tsebe hore ba nne ba be litulong tsa puso. Kea bona se monate setulo sa hoba hloho ea naha e busang limillion tsa batho ba naheng ea heno!!!
Comment by Nyaope on 8 August 2012:
@Da mosi, e re a hle a qale ka ho nts’a uena kaha u incompetent le uena ‘malefufa/ralefufa.