LEADER of the newly formed Basotho Action Party (BAP) Professor Nqosa Mahao says Basotho are sitting on a time bomb that is ready to explode.
elections
May 24, 2021
KABELO MASOABI
3 min read
Lesotho sitting on a time bomb - Mahao
BAP supporters at the party's second rally in Hlotse, Leribe on Sunday
The bomb, he said is fueled by abject poverty and hunger.
"Our people are hungry and it is just a matter of time before they explode like a time bomb. The country is sitting on this bomb," he said.
Prof Mahao made these remarks during the party’s second rally which was held in Hlotse, Leribe on Sunday.
The first rally was held on May 16 in Ha Rantšetse, Korokoro.
Mahao listed unemployment, corruption and lack of accountability as factors dragging the development of Lesotho down.
He however, showed it was time that Basotho youth shouldered the economy by creating employment through the establishment of cooperative societies.
"We seek through your support to become a government that will bring practical positive changes into the lives of Basotho since the current regime has dismally failed.
“BAP has developed a policy that will address youth unemployment via the restructuring of our education system. The party will focus on improving vocational institutions and turn the Lerotholi Polytechnic (Fokothi) into a technology university. We want to see the youth taking a leading role and working with their hands to invent innovational projects that are key to job creation," he appealed to his supporters.
The former deputy leader of the ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC) told multitudes of his supporters that the current government was immensely involved in corrupt practices that have put the country's assets at stake.
His statement related to the reneging of a contract signed in 2018 by the Lesotho government and a German company called Frazer Solar.
Prof Mahao said Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro owed the nation an explanation on the matter as the questionable deal was signed his time as the Minister of Finance.
Solar power company Frazer Solar GmbH was awarded (M856 million) in damages by a South African court after the Lesotho government reneged on the contract, which was to be funded by the German government, as part of a wider programme to turn Lesotho into a net exporter of electricity.
A binding agreement was sealed in 2018 between Frazer Solar and Lesotho for the provision of up to 40 000 solar water heating systems, 20MW of solar photovoltaic capacity, one million LED lights and 350 000 solar lanterns nationwide.
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In a statement issued by Withers Worldwide, and according to the lawyers acting for Frazer Solar, it seems the project stalled in October 2018 when Lesotho’s Ministry of Finance refused to finalise and execute the project’s financial agreements.
“Following this breach, Frazer Solar commenced arbitration proceedings in South Africa. No explanation for this refusal (to execute the agreements) has been provided to Frazer Solar by the government of Lesotho, but the resulting legal action concluded that a competing project had been prioritised.”
In March this year, Frazer Solar had completed a similar project in Eswatini, delivering hot water to every single government health clinic.
"Lesotho's assets to the fortune of 1,1 billion are to be seized in debt. That amount equals to 20% of the national budget. What a disgraceful government we have," Mahao said.
A month ago Mahao left the ABC to form BAP with other nine parliamentarians. He said the decision to form the party was a culmination of what he described as a “chaotic situation” in the ruling party.
He said relations in the party have been sour since last December when the party leader and former Prime Minister Motsoahae Thabane ordered the executive committee to remove Dr Majoro.
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