LESOTHO POLITICAL UPDATE: NEW POLITICAL PARTY LAUNCHED

UNCLAS MASERU 000336

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/S MATTHEW SHIELDS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO POLITICAL UPDATE: NEW POLITICAL PARTY LAUNCHED

REF: MASERU 306


1. Summary: Disgruntled former members of Lesotho's main
opposition political party, the All Basotho Convention (ABC),
held a political rally on November 9, 2008 and indicated their
intention to form a new political party in the coming days. On
November 2, 2008, the ABC celebrated its second anniversary
since its inception. The party has been beset with controversy
from the onset. Party members who quit the ABC recently are
reported to be from 21 different constituencies. End summary.
QOn Sunday, November 9, 2008, former Publicity Secretary and
Member of the ABC Executive Committee, Lehlohonolo Ts'ehlana,
and former Chairperson of the Stadium Area Constituency in
Maseru, Moeketsi Tsatsanyane, announced that they, and other
members of the ABC from several other constituencies, had
decided to establish a new political party to counter the
prevailing political situation in which, in their view,
political parties lack internal democratic norms and values.
Tsatsanyane indicated that they quit the ABC because of their
concern that the leadership of the partyQ not committed to
hold a general conference which would pave the way for Executive
Committee Elections. (Note: The Interim Executive Committee
was appointed - not elected - in November 2006 just three months
prior to the February 2007 snap elections. End note). This
created concern among some party members who desired elections.


3. Local private radio station, People's Choice FM, reported
that the rally organized by the duo was poorly attended.
Analysts on local radio call-in programs (which are a de facto
barometer for measuring public opinion) openly criticized
Tsehlana and Tsatsanyane of demonstrating a propensity to
hopscotch from one party to another. Both politicians were
members of the Basotho Congress Party (BCP). When a new
splinter group emerged in 1997 and formed the current governing
party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD),Ts'ehlana
joined that new party. However, he was dismissed by the LCD
Disciplinary Committee in 2006.


4. In 2006, both Tsehlana and Tsatsanyane joined the ABC, which
was seen to be beleaguered with controversy from its inception
due to the number of disgruntled and `greedy' politicians from
the LCD, who joined the ABC with the hope of winning
parliamentary seats or being elevated to prominent positions in
the party.


5. Comment: The launching of a new political party will bring
the total number of parties which have registered with the
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to 20. There is only one
political party, the Basotho African National Congress (BANC)
which was formed in 2007 but has not registered with the IEC.
The majority of ordinary citizens and local analysts believe
that with a population of about 1.88 million, there are already
too many political parties. Local observers argue that the
launching of this new party demonstrates greed for power and
leadership given the history of Tsatsanyane and Ts'ehlana of
joining parties and quitting or get dismissed. The new party is
expected to be launched in the coming days. End comment.

NOLAN