RFP MPs criticise Matekane for ‘poor leadership’

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…describes the Prime Minister as “incompetent”

…the attacks show the prime minister’s efforts to keep his party united

Mpesi Harvester

The ruling Revolutionary Party for Prosperity (RFP) MP for Pekka Constituency, Mohopoli Monokoane, has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Sam Matekane, accusing him of incompetence and poor leadership both in government and in the party.

Mr Monokoane’s tirade is another sign of the difficulties Mr Matekane faces in controlling his fractured party. Mr Monokoane unreservedly blames the Prime Minister for failing to create jobs He issued a warning to the Basotho regarding their overall leadership failure.

Mr Monokoane, a successful businessman, accused the RVP leaders of focusing on issues that do not interest ordinary Basotho and ignoring “pressing public needs”.

Mr. Matt Kane has therefore broken the promise he made to voters during the 2022 campaign, which was the basis for his election as the country’s Prime Minister.

In a stern letterlesotho timesdated July 21, 2024, to Mr. Matken, Mr. Monokorn outlined the “incompetence” of the RFP leaders in handling national issues and party conflicts.

In the letter, Mr. Monokorn accused RFP leadership of having authoritarian tendencies and “discriminating against RFP legislators.”

He quit the WhatsApp group of RFP MPs after complaining that his long-standing grievances on various issues in the party had not been addressed.

Mr Monokoane quit the group a week ago.

Mr Peka said his main complaint with Mr Matheken’s seven-party coalition government was that it had failed to create jobs by reopening closed textile factories as promised during the election campaign. It also failed to create market access for Basotho products.

Instead, Mr Monocohen charged, these opportunities were created for a small group of people “close to the party leader”.

While it is unclear whether Mr Monokoane will eventually abandon the RFP, the ruling party lost three MPs in the last year alone, reducing its seat count from 57 to 54 at the 2022 election.

The first person to be expelled from the party for falling out with the RFP leadership was Matlakeng MP Mahali Phamotse, who later formed her own party in November 2023, the United Africans for Transformation (UAT).

In May this year, two lawmakers from Malimong and Lithoteng constituencies, Lephoi Makara and Rethabile Letlailana, switched sides and joined the Democratic Congress (DC) led by official opposition leader Mathibeli Mokhothu. They changed sides in the National Assembly.

The two left RFP after a long conflict with RFP leadership.

They share Mr Monokoane’s belief that he is a weak leader and uninterested in safeguarding the interests of his constituents.

Monocohen, the latest MP to fall out with the Revolutionary Liberal Party leadership, said many of the promises in the party’s manifesto had not been delivered, which was damaging Matt Kane’s image.

“I am writing this letter because I have been complaining about the party’s management. I have tried many times to rectify this unpleasant situation, trying to make the party’s leadership aware of their bias, discrimination and dictatorial tendencies,” Mr Monocone said.

“The current state of the RFP creates an unpleasant environment and breeds instability within the party. I am frustrated that we choose to focus only on issues that are not in the public interest.”

He added that several promises in the RFP manifesto have yet to be fulfilled, such as “generous and sustained” subsidies for fertilizers and agricultural inputs to Basotho farmers to revive agriculture.

“Many points in the party’s manifesto have yet to be implemented. The promise of subsidized fertilizers and agricultural inputs to the Basotho people to restore their confidence in agriculture and ensure market access for agricultural products has yet to be fulfilled,” Mr Monokoane said.

“This situation has frustrated not only RFP members but even those who voted for the party and had hoped to see changes based on what they were promised.”

He said the RFP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) was biased against its councillors, secretly working with some of them while shunning others.

“NEC’s work with RFP MPs is not smooth. Most of the time, things are done behind closed doors by some members close to the leaders and committee members,” he said.

“It raises suspicion that decisions are being made that are not in the best interests of the public we represent.

“Since the 2022 election, we have lost three MPs to the opposition, with another MP forming his own party.”

The RPP leaders and their government also failed to deliver on the policies promised and continued to mind their own business while the Basotho patiently waited for the policies to be implemented.

“This government will not pursue plans that are in the national interest, but only plans that benefit lesser parts of the country and a group of disgruntled RFP members,” he said.

“It is a sign of bias that some RFP MPs’ opinions are given more weight than others. This should not happen as we represent different constituencies and it will cause division within the party.

“So far, the government has not come up with any foolproof plan for job creation, especially after the closure of many factories leading to massive job losses. This situation tarnishes the integrity of the leader, especially when he promises to create jobs.”

He added that the prime minister had failed to discipline three security chiefs, former police commissioner Holomo Molibeli, former National Security Service (NSS) chief Pheello Ralekoane and army commander Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela, for their infamous speech on the 16thdayOctober 2023.

The three men instructed the parliamentary opposition at a press conference that day to abandon their plot to overthrow Mr. Mattcairn through a parliamentary vote of no confidence and instead return to the legislature to work on passing the National Reform Bill.

As if that was not enough, Mr Monokonne also heavily criticised Mr Matheken’s government for attempting to sabotage the relocation of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) from the Prime Minister’s MGC Park to an alternative office site in Maseru West. He described the attempt as an “act to undermine democracy in Lesotho”.

“The prime minister has failed to rein in the inappropriate statements made by heads of security agencies, particularly army commanders, which undermine democracy.

“Recently, these security agencies shamelessly and forcefully occupied the IEC premises. This clearly shows that this is an authoritarian government that is destroying democracy.”

For two days, we have been trying to seek comments from RFP NEC but to no avail as the person responsible for talking to the media could not be reached. There was no answer on the mobile number of the RFP CEO.

Meanwhile, days before writing to the RFP leaders, Mr Monokoane accused the Minister of Local Government, Chiefs, Interior Affairs and Police, Lebona Lephema, of using security agencies to intimidate him.

Mr Lephema, who is the RFP’s Teyateyaneng constituency MP, has been accused of causing divisions within the party by allegedly bypassing other MPs and lobbying the constituency committee to help him recruit people to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Mr Monokorn was particularly vocal in accusing Mr Lefima of attempting to overthrow Prime Minister Matt Cairn, claiming that Mr Lefima was targeting him and other RFP lawmakers to further his own ambitions.

Recently, Mr Monokoane released an audio clip warning Mr Mattaien that Mr Lefima was ambitious to become the next prime minister.

According to Mr Monokoane, the RFP NEC wants to “instill fear in councillors in order to control them”.

Mr Monokoane said his efforts to promote unity in the party had failed last Thursday when he quit the WhatsApp group of RFP lawmakers.

“I’m trying to create a peaceful path for us but it seems difficult. Take care, ho ea ka makhoro ha se ho lahlana. Goodbye (roughly translated as ‘until we meet again’),” his message read.