LESOTHO: NEW TWIST IN THE CALL FOR MINISTERS TO BE FIRED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000215

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/S AND INR/AF: BYRNES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: NEW TWIST IN THE CALL FOR MINISTERS TO BE FIRED

REF: MASERU 194

MASERU 00000215 001.2 OF 002


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Summary
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1. Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) Youth League members
allegedly wrote a letter, dated June 6, 2009, which urged the
Prime Minister to fire some cabinet ministers for incompetence.
The letter has sparked controversy, as some sources accuse
Mothetjoa Metsing, the Minister of Communications (who is also
the Secretary General of the LCD),and two other Members of
Parliament (MPs) of being the authors of the afore-mentioned
letter. The letter was reportedly delivered to the Minister of
Communications for onward transmission to Prime Minister (PM)
Mosisili. Metsing and the two MPs denied the allegations and
suggested that this accusation was merely intended to tarnish
their images.

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Minister of Communications stirring the pot?
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2. According to information dated June 22 on a local website
news service, Intelserv, well placed sources inside the
governing party have fingered Metsing, MP Keketso Rants'o, and
MP Mahlomola Makhube of being the masterminds behind the Youth
League's controversial letter. Earlier, media had reported that
the letter was prepared by the LCD Youth League and delivered to
the Minister Metsing because of his role as Secretary General of
the LCD. Metsing and the two MPS have vehemently denied any
involvement in the preparation of the memo. They asserted that
whoever is pointing fingers at them has a hidden agenda and
wants to bring their names into disrepute. Intelserv also
revealed that another MP from the Koro-Koro Constituency was
involved in sending text messages to Youth Leagues members'
mobile phones informing them about a meeting at party
headquarters to discuss "some urgent party business" regarding
the petition to the PM.

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Divisions widening within the ruling party?
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3. In yet another surprise move, the President of the LCD Youth
League, Mosala Mojakisane, distanced the League and himself as
President from the controversial letter. He stated that the
Youth League Executive Committee had nothing to do with the
petition. Local observers say that this move clearly
demonstrates that there are two opposing camps within the
governing LCD. Both Intelserv and the Lesotho Times issue of
June 25 reported that the petition called on the PM to fire the
following ministers for incompetence: Minister of Natural
Resources, Monyane Moleleki; Minister of Local Government and
Chieftainship Affairs, Dr. Pontso Sekatle; Minister of Gender
and Youth, Sports and Recreation, Mathabiso Lepono; Minister of
Agriculture and Food Security, Lesole Mokoma; Minister of Public
Service, Semano Sekatle; and Minister of Forestry and Land
Reclamation, Ralechate Mokose (reftel).


4. The June 26 issue of the Public Eye newspaper reported that
the infamous memo also requested the PM to reshuffle the
following ministers in addition to those already mentioned:
Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Timothy Thahane;
Minister of Education and Training, Dr. Mamphono Khaketla;
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Mphu Ramatlapeng; and
Minister of Public Works and Transport, Tsele Chakela. Despite
this indication of dissatisfaction on the part of some party
members, Public Eye reported that at a June 14 rally in Butha
Buthe, the PM showed total disregard for the infamous petition
by extolling Moleleki's performance as a minister. He outlined
Moleleki's achievements and cited rural electrification and
revenue collected from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project as
success stories. On the other hand, at the recent funeral of an
MP who was killed in April, the PM publicly criticized the
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security for failing to
transform Lesotho's agricultural sector despite his high
credentials as a leading agriculturalist.


5. Some local analysts believe the PM's statements are just
meant for his domestic LCD audience. Professor Makoa, a
political scientist from Lesotho, indicated that he was not at
all surprised to hear the PM making such statements when
addressing his followers. He said that the PM's statements must
be seen in the context of the audience he was addressing. He
warned that although the PM was clearly speaking to the public
gallery, some party fanatics might take the PM's words to heart
and seek to use his remarks to further their own agendas.

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Comment
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MASERU 00000215 002.2 OF 002




6. The latest turn of events illustrates that there are some
disgruntled elements within the LCD which would like to change
the status quo. Well-placed Embassy sources had indicated
earlier that the PM was planning to reshuffle his cabinet.
However, in recent days, our sources have alleged that Mosisili
is reluctant to proceed with his reshuffle plans because he
fears that this would destabilize the party. Some local
observers say the PM's statements criticizing or praising
cabinet ministers could have unduly raised people's expectations
that a cabinet re-shuffle was eminent. A clear example is the
LCD Youth League's letter, which indicates that their
expectations may have been raised and encouraged them to agitate
for a cabinet reshuffle. According to Post's sources, the PM
(who is on his third five-year term),has not revealed any clear
succession plans. This lack of clarity for the future of the
party frustrates potential future LCD leaders who may be vying
for his position and widening rifts within the party. Local
Government elections are set for April 2010; post will monitor
how well the governing party manages to keep party unity until
then.
NOLAN