By Teboho Serutla
The Office of the Prime Minister remains uncommunicative about the real reasons for the abrupt sacking of Lekhetho Mosito as defence and national security minister, a little over 10 days after his appointment.
Mosito was appointed minister on February 4 2021 in a cabinet reshuffle that saw a raft of changes in cabinet and the line-up of principal secretaries.
The Office of the Prime Minister announced in a statement released on Monday evening that Mosito’s removal takes effect on the same day.
Pressed to disclose the reasons for Mosito’s removal, the PM’s spokesperson Buda Moseme was adamant that the appointment and dismissal of ministers is the prerogative of the Prime Minister.
“The Prime Minister is under no obligation to give reasons for dismissing of ministers, the same way he never gives reasons for appointing them.”
Asked if the PM’s decision was related to the recent much-publicised war of words between Mosito and Tefo Mapesela (agriculture and food security minister), Moseme quipped: “I cannot comment on that”.
Mapesela had recently publicly slammed the appointment of Mosito, launching a scathing attack on the Likhetlane MP and effectively labelling him ‘chameleon with a chequered past’.
This diatribe has seen Mosito hauling Mapesela before the High Court of Lesotho where he is suing the Mokhotlong MP for defamation and demanding M1.5million in damages.
