OWN CORRESPONDENT, Maseru | Sunday 10.00pm.
RIVAL Lesotho political parties were are preparing for a fierce debate on Monday on whether or not Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili’s government should continue to rule the kingdom until new elections in 15 to 18 months’ time.
The debate will take place at continuing Southern African Development Community-led talks in Maseru aimed at resolving Lesotho’s crisis.
Opposition parties have vowed to reject a proposal that the incumbent Congress for Democracy government continue in power until the elections take place.
“We cannot allow an illegitimate government to remain in power until the elections,” opposition alliance spokeman Vincent Malebo told reporters. “They are a product of a botched election and have therefore to vacate office.”
On the other hand Lesotho’s deputy prime minister Kelebone Maope said the LCD would not agree to the opposition’s demand for a formation of a government of national unity.
Souh African Deputy President Thabo Mbeki announced on national TV on Friday night that the parties had agreed the LDC should continue in power until the elections, sparking angry reaction from the Lesotho opposition alliance, which said no such thing had been agreed to.
Mbeki’s office later admitted the announcement was a genuine mistake resulting from poor communication with the delegation in Maseru.
Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition Basotho National Party, Thesele Maseribane, said on Sunday that the SADC intervention was not to put down a military mutiny in the Lesotho Defence Force as claimed, but to gain control of the massive Highlands Water Project, which is intended to provide Lesotho with electrical power and South Africa, which surrounds Lesotho, with water. He appealed to all political leaders to ensure that royalties from the water project are directed to Lesotho to be used for reconstruction.
Maseribane was speaking at the funeral of of a 15-year-old Basotho National Party youth, Molahli Mokenele, who was killed at the Royal Palace when SADC troops stormed it to remove opposition protesters.
Also on Sunday, hundreds of people attended the funeral of Lance-Corporal Owageng Mothupi who was killed in action during the military intervention. Mothupi, 34, from 44 Parachute Brigade in Thaba Nchu, was buried with full military honours at Dinokana in North West Province. Speaking at the funeral, Deputy Defence Minister Ronnie Kasrils said: “Your son did not die in vain, he died a hero of the nation and in full dignity. He made the ultimate sacrifice.”
The South African army, meanwhile, announced that one of its soldiers was found dead with three bullet wounds in the back near a military base outside Maseru. He is believed to have been involved in a brawl.