Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MASERU51
2006-01-30 15:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Maseru
Cable title:  

JANUARY 29 SHOOTING OF LESOTHO'S FOREIGN MINISTER

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR LT 
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DE RUEHMR #0051/01 0301534
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O P 301534Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1842
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 2094
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000051 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/30/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LT
SUBJECT: JANUARY 29 SHOOTING OF LESOTHO'S FOREIGN MINISTER

REF: MASERU 35

CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



Summary
------------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000051

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/30/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LT
SUBJECT: JANUARY 29 SHOOTING OF LESOTHO'S FOREIGN MINISTER

REF: MASERU 35

CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) Local employee informed Embassy duty officer (DCM) at
10:30 am, Sunday, January 29 of rumored shooting of Foreign
Affairs Minister Moleleki as he approached his residence gate.
Once alerted, AMB called the Foreign Minister at 10:40, received
no response on home or cell numbers, then contacted senior
Cabinet minister (finance) who was unaware of incident. Police
confirmed incident with EMBOFFS at 10:55 citing FOMIN had been
brought in for a gunshot wound to the left arm. Minister of
Finance elaborated in telecon with AMB that as the FOMIN's car
approached his gate around 2 - 3 am, following a national
political party conference, his body guard alighted to find the
guards; the Minister was then assaulted by two armed gunmen with
Israeli military weapons. Per AMB's telecon with FOMIN's wife,
a physician, he was taken to the Makoayane Military Hospital
(with three bullet wounds to the arm) for treatment where she
said he would remain until Wednesday, February 1. Finance
Minister reported Sunday afternoon that the Deputy Prime
Minister would make a statement for public consumption to ensure
stability. The DPM is also the Minister of Home Affairs and
Public Safety. Although the 18:00 news broadcast of Sunday,
1/29 referenced "a shooting incident involving the Minister of
Foreign Affairs," there was no public statement read or
released. The DPM advised AMB on 1/30 that he considered the
incident a "grave" one and that he did intend to provide a
statement to the public and to the diplomatic corps. The EU and
South African missions have the same information at this time as
we do. No Acting Foreign Minister has been named.


2. (C) Moleleki is the linchpin on several major bilateral and
multilateral issues. Any time he must take away from his duties
will not only impact AU and UN decisions by the GOL, but could
hinder progress toward an Article 98 Agreement and a Millennium

Challenge Compact. Moleleki's "out front" role in the ruling
LCD party has been the subject of debate as potential candidates
for the top spot in the 2007 National Elections juggle for
space. The January 27-29 Party Conference reinstated Prime
Minister Mosisili as party head and FOMIN Moleleki as Editor of
the LCD's paper. Discontent has been evident since the 2005
December party conference where Former Home Affairs and current
Minister of Communications Minister Thabane was expected to
strengthen his hand. It appears Moleleki and the PM ironed out
any differences they may have had, but the FOMIN's grassroots
popularity may not provide ironclad protection. End Summary

Post Conference Shooting
--------------


3. (C) Lesotho's ruling political party (Lesotho Congress for
Democracy) began its January 27 conference already facing
dissent within the ranks. It ended with bullet wounds to
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Monyane Moleleki. The January 29
shooting had been preceded by the brief arrests (January 22) of
youth leaders supporting Minister of Communications Tom Thabane.
Allegedly, the youth league was disseminating leaflets critical
of Prime Minister Mosisili. (The young members were detained 48
hours and released.) Thabane had been touted, along with
Moleleki, as a potential contender for the party's top job.
FOMIN Moleleki told Ambassador that, following the December
meeting, things were going well and the LCD party mechanisms
were in place. He exhibited a spirit of confidence and felt the
leadership would continue essentially unchanged. In the end,
those elected during the second party congress (septel) did not
reflect major shifts and the results support Moleleki's
predictions.


4. (C) Nevertheless, some within the LCD viewed Moleleki as a
threat to Mosisili himself. As previously reported, the FOMIN
(former Information Minister) is a charismatic speaker who has
attracted support from young men and women alike. According to
Finance Minister Thahane, Moleleki's outspoken style and
popularity caused tensions with the PM. Reportedly, the January
27 party congress speeches were contentious ones with the
leadership touting unity, but dissatisfied factions continued to
feel left out of the process. In his role as editor of the
party newspaper and as a highly visible political leader,
Moleleki may have provided the perfect target. A senior Cabinet
officer suggested to us January 29, that the party's bickering

MASERU 00000051 002 OF 002


had led to the attack on the FOMIN. The Deputy Prime Minister,
characterizing the shooting as a "grave" situation told
Ambassador the matter was still "under investigation." He
promised that an explanation and statement for the public and
for diplomatic missions would be forthcoming.


5. (C) According to Minister Moleleki's wife (a physician and
head of the Lesotho Red Cross),he will remain in the military
hospital until February 1. It is unclear what his work schedule
will be once released. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is
already suffering staff shortage without a Principal Secretary.
Moleleki has been the designated hitter (by the PM) on working
out language for an Article 98 Agreement. He has also taken a
leading role in moving along a revised Millennium Challenge
proposal. As former Minister of Natural Resources, he was
deeply engaged in Lesotho's first proposal concepts and has
played an important liaison role between involved Ministries on
the GOL's MCC team. One expects he will continue to apply his
influence in these two areas. However, whatever the nature of
its origin, the attack on him must be viewed as a warning. He
may still be viewed as a threat no matter how forcefully the
unity argument is put. (Note: The situation in Maseru and the
rest of the country has remained calm.)

Comment
--------------


6. (C) Further details on the Moleleki incident are expected,
but we do not believe the overall political map will be
radically redrawn. What must be considered is the fact that
there exists a more-than-vocal opposition movement that views
the Mosisili government as unresponsive to its needs. The
public remains one plagued by unemployment, AIDS and drought.
The LCD, while certainly supporting donor efforts to address
these health and development problems, is not perceived as
having reversed the ordinary Masotho's fortunes. One of the
Party's key assets is, indeed, Moleleki himself. With a retro
Afro, safari shirts and a willingness to show up in villages
regularly, he has tapped a vein of expectation and hope. The
LCD will have to make serious efforts to reach out to voters
across the economic spectrum before the March 2007 elections.
International interlocutors anticipate Moleleki's return to MFA,
but may expect delayed action on some of their major concerns.
End Comment.
PERRY