By Kabelo Mollo
This week our focus has been trained on the August house. Our lawmakers have taken it upon themselves to table a vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister and his government.
The opposition MPs claim they have the requisite numbers to remove the current ruling alliance of three parties in order to replace it with a coalition of 13. The 13 party coalition intends for the official leader of the opposition to change hats and become the official leader of government.
A coalition of 13 parties! On the one hand it would actually be such a noble effort if Basotho came together for a shared vision and united in order to progress as a people. Political slogans have for too long divided an otherwise homogenous nation.
It would be a breath of fresh air if the principles of this coalition were to root out polarisation and to promote cooperation in this once great Kingdom. Sadly, I don’t sense that’s the intention here. What I see is political expediency trumping everything else. We see an opposition corralling together with the aim of unseating a government so that they can enjoy the benefits rather than those currently in power.
To date the opposition have failed to show any strong reason why a brand new government barely in power for a year ought to be jettisoned. What they have done is repeatedly shout them down, even when the government were trying to be innovative in development issues. At this point it is worth mentioning that this government have brought this on themselves.
In their campaign and manifesto the RFP (Revolution for Prosperity) vowed to pass the reforms and omnibus bill as a matter of urgency. Basotho for their part voted for the new party in their numbers. The expectation for many was that the reforms, in their original form, would be passed expeditiously.
As mentioned, it’s a year on, and nothing of the sort has happened. It would seem the ruling coalition sought to use some of the old laws to their own end and now are crying foul when the opposition does the same thing.
I don’t have anything like a mandate to speak on behalf of Basotho but I sense that the nation has grown tired of these continued shenanigans. Basotho, especially young men and women are hungry for economic growth, jobs, and prosperity in a climate that encourages free spirited cooperation. None of that seems to be on the horizon with the same jostling for positions by political elites.
It is why so many Basotho put their faith in the reforms. No reforms, no explanation why not and sadly no appetite from either side to resuscitate the original Omnibus Bill.
Many of us have come to expect disappointment from Basotho politicians. That’s the sad truth but the absolute tomfoolery that once again engulfed the parliamentary proceedings this week was a stark reminder why that disappointment is always nearby. Whether it was the frivolous points of order by the current ruling alliance or the unsubtle innuendo by the opposition that they would be annexing power, it was all a bit much. I maintain I lost a bit of intelligence watching that rowdiness.
For what it’s worth, if the multi-party coalition does triumph in the coming fortnight, it will be interesting to see how long they are able to hold together before coming asunder and secondly how the RFP behaves as an opposition. They haven’t yet struck me as a politically savvy organisation. Will their nous be encouraged by necessity? It will be interesting to see how many of their MPs and top brass stay on and fight the good fight versus how many go back to their businesses and leave well enough alone.
Politics, particularly those of the stomach are not for the faint hearted. It would be a welcome reprieve if those struggling for their own gains would then train their focus beyond themselves and actually do what they’ve been sent there to do which is serve the interests of Basotho.
