OPPOSITION LEADERS EXPRESS FRUSTRATION ON POLITICAL IMPASSE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000263 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV LT SUBJECT: OPPOSITION LEADERS EXPRESS FRUSTRATION ON POLITICAL IMPASSE REF: MASERU 257 MASERU 00000263 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Charge d' Affaires (CDA),met with the leader of the opposition Basotho National Party (BNP),Major General Justin Metsing Lekhanya on July 28, and subsequently met with the leader of the opposition Alliance of Congress Parties (ACP), Kelebone Maope on July 29. Both leaders are leery of the intentions of the governing Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) regarding a resolution to the current political impasse, expressing a lack of confidence in the IEC and lashing out at the LCD for being arrogant and intransigent. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Lekhanya stated that although his party wants a peaceful resolution of the dispute over allocation of proportional seats, the issue has taken too long and it is time for donor countries to exert influence on the GOL. He warned that their supporters may lose patience and become difficult to control. Lekhanya expressed concern that the IEC deliberately "contaminated" the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral model during the 2007 snap elections and this has led to the current precarious situation. He observed that it was a pity that they have tried using peaceful means through dialogue and the courts of law but all have failed as a result of the arrogance of the governing party. The BNP leader stressed that even if elections similar to the Lesotho 2007 snap elections take place frequently, they do not foster democracy at all; periodic elections are a necessary but not sufficient element of a democracy. He asserted that the current Parliament is illegitimate due to the improper allocation of proportional seats. ¶3. (SBU) CDA expressed USG concern about potential political instability or violence the country may face, which would have severe adverse effects on Lesotho's economy. When asked by the CDA about the possibility of the IEC response to their ultimatum, Lekhanya said they do not expect any reaction. He mentioned that opposition leaders were planning a protest march to the Houses of Parliament and IEC offices on July 29. He emphasized that once this starts, it will be a rolling mass action of stay aways and protests until there is a solution. ¶4. (SBU) Lekhanya also accused the governing party lack of transparency and accountability in disbursing state funds and grants by donors. He stated that as a member of the Public Accounts Committee in parliament, he was aware that the government's financial records are appalling and pathetic but the LCD wants to hide them. He added that the government collects enough revenue to provide for Lesotho's population but the public do not know where the revenue is spent. The BNP leader concluded by pointing out that the governing party has exacerbated the political crisis by its arrogant statements on state radio and television, citing Masire's statement about the attitude of the governing party regarding the failed political dialogue. Lekhanya expressed hope that the stay-away will end quickly and force the government to come to the negotiation table within a few days. ¶5. (SBU) At a separate meeting with Kelebone Maope, leader of the Alliance of Congress Parties (ACP),on July 29, CDA complimented Maope for writing an article which gave a clear background of the events that have led to the current political impasse and which also explained the MMP model thoroughly. CDA also informed him that the USG is concerned about the impasse, but expressed hope that a peaceful resolution can be achieved, avoiding political. Maope noted that opposition political leaders are also worried about the current situation but stressed that they have been patient for two years. He stated that Masire agrees with opposition parties in their pursuit to ensure that the National Assembly is properly constituted. ACP leader emphasized that they recognize and accept that the LCD won the 2007 elections but they are dismayed by the intransigence of the governing party regarding the proper allocation of proportional seats. He also lashed out at the IEC for claiming to have applied the electoral law correctly but without allocating the seats properly. He said it was a double blow for the opposition parties to deal with a questionable IEC and an arrogant government. ¶6. (SBU) Responding to a question by the Chargi about the next course of action by the Southern African Development Community (SADC),Maope indicated that they have no confidence in SADC leaders because some of them behave like the leadership in Lesotho. He added that he was convinced that the government will rely on the police and army to solve the current political dispute. Regarding the stay-away, Maope expressed pessimism that the work-stoppage will have the desired impact of opposition parties. He pointed out that since Lesotho is a poor country, even if people support the opposition, not going to work could have adverse effects on their livelihoods. Maope accused the GOL of taking advantage of poor people by impoverishing them deliberately in order to control them. He observed that foreign aid could be used to repress opposition MASERU 00000263 002.2 OF 002 supporters and wondered whether international donors were deliberately nourishing a dictatorship. ¶7. (SBU) Maope said the only way forward is to ensure that the proper parliamentarians are given their seats and, as a separate issue, use a monetary settlement for those members of parliament who were brought in erroneously. If there is no settlement, he said the problem will not go away, the legitimacy of parliament will continue to be questioned, and voter apathy in the next general elections will be high. He also stated that the unity of purpose necessary for development will no longer be there, and the provision of services will decline or collapse due to the fact that opposition supporters are part of the civil service; they will not regard the governing party as legitimate and there will be conflict. He concluded by asserting that Masire was well placed for resolving the dispute over seats but the LCD ignored him. He also stressed that the right of freedom of assembly was being violated, citing the GOL's refusal to allow international experts on the MMP model to come to Lesotho to have an intellectual discussion on the electoral mode. He warned that there is an emerging dictatorship in Lesotho and appealed that donors should intervene before it is too late. ¶8. (SBU) Comment: The opposition party leaders are clearly very frustrated by the current political situation. Some local analysts are of the view that unlike previous successful protests, the planned stay-away may be only partially observed, judging by the very small number of opposition supporters who turned up at the protest march to the IEC offices and houses of parliament on July 29. Rumors circulating in the diplomatic corps forum suggest that the stay-away was a unilateral decision by the largest opposition party, the All Basotho Convention (ABC) and that it caused friction among the larger group of opposition parties. All of these latest developments may be an indication that neither the governing LCD nor the opposition parties have gauged the proper mood of the ordinary people. End Comment. ¶9. (SBU) Bio note on Maope: He is a former Attorney General in the military government which ruled from 1986 to 1993. Maope was heavily involved in drafting the current constitution. He became Law and Constitutional Minister in the Basotho Congress Party (BCP) administration from 1993 to 1997, and then was successively Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister in the LCD government from 1997 to 2002. In 2002, he resigned and formed the Lesotho People's Congress (LPC) which merged with the Basotho African Congress (BAC) in 2007 to form the ACP. During a recent press interview, Maope revealed that Prime Minister Mosisili has been trying to persuade him to re-join the LCD. Maope is reputed to be a principled and determined man who commands request in his home constituency. Local observers believe that is the reason Mosisili wants him to re-join the governing party. ¶10. (SBU) Bio note on Lekhanya: Lekhanya, a career soldier and former army commander turned politician, became head of Lesotho's military government when the BNP administration was overthrown by a military junta in 1986. In the aftermath of the 1998 political crisis, Lekhanya was elected as president of the party he once deposed from power. During his career as a soldier, he underwent military training in the U.S., Israel, U.K. and Taiwan. The BNP is currently the third largest political party in Lesotho, following the LCD and the ABC. POWER