Lesotho citizens reject another election as no-confidence vote looms for PM
The current Prime Minister Tom Thabane has lost support in his party, the All Basotho Convention, and the opposition wants to strike with a planned motion of no confidence against him.
JOHANNESBURG - Angry citizens in Lesotho have used social media to reject the possibility of the country going to another election should Prime Minister Tom Thabane lose a planned motion of no confidence.
If Thabane loses the vote, he could either step down or call for fresh elections.
But there are concerns the country cannot afford a fourth election in seven years.
Lesotho went to elections in 2012, 2015 and 2017 and on all three occasions, sitting prime ministers had lost motions of no confidence.
The current Prime Minister Tom Thabane has lost support in his party, the All Basotho Convention, and the opposition wants to strike.
Should Thabane lose the vote, the constitution gives him the power to decide if he steps down or calls for elections but ordinary citizens are having none of it.
Patronella Sello-Diedericks, a resident from Lesotho, called for change.
“What is actually going to change? We need to do things differently. We can’t keep doing the same things and expect different results. That is madness.”
Lesotho national Mathata Mpela, who is currently is in the United States, agreed with Sello-Diedericks.
“The plain fact is Lesotho does not need another election. Elections do not create jobs except for politicians that are changing seats.”
Opposition parties are expected to file the motion this week and MP’s in a rival faction of Thabane’s ABC say they are open to be lobbied to vote against him.
