business

Feb. 28, 2019

3 min read

Political parties fail to account

Political parties fail to account

Public Accounts Committee

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Political parties have failed to account for a combined total of M12million of election funding provided by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The chairperson of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and leader of the fifth largest opposition party, Movement for Economic Change (MEC) MP Selibe Mochoboroane, revealed that almost all political parties represented in parliament and those outside parliament are the culprits.

According to MP (Member of Parliament) Selibe Mochoboroane, the outstanding funds were not accounted for to the IEC for the general election of 2012, 2015 and 2017 as well as the local government elections. “The funds were allocated for party funding, to pay party agents and for campaigning during elections. All political parties know they should report and make submissions to IEC on how they used the funds that were disbursed to them, but six months after the elections, despite a requirement do to so, they failed to report,” he remarked. MP Mochoboroane expressed concern that most of the parties that appeared before the PAC failed to account for some of the funding adding that “the politicians should lead by example by accounting for the funds on time.” The culprits include the biggest political party and ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC) and some big parties as well as small parties.

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The ABC, according to the PAC, has not accounted for the M41,800 for party agents in 2015 general elections, M122,000.00 for 2017 National Assembly snap election and M1,049,684.50 for 2017 local government elections. On behalf of the party, Samonyane Ntsekele, Secretary General, confirmed that the amounts of money have not yet been accounted for and promised that the matter would be settled with the IEC within two weeks. He said most of the party agents have not been paid “because they were nowhere to be found as they were reported to have relocated to various places.

Attempts to locate them were made but all in vain.” Ntsekele also reported that the payroll lists for paying agents went missing and he informed the IEC in writing; the report that was denied by IEC Assistant Finance Manager, Limpho Monese who claimed she had not received such letter. Other parties that failed to account on time are Basotho National Party (BNP) and Alliance of Democrats (AD). BNP failed to account for M495,450.00 of party agents while AD failed to account for M945,839.00 that was to pay the party agents for local government elections in 2017. Both parties are in the ruling coalition.

The leader of Baena Party, Paul Masiu, reported that M63, 254.50 for his party for 2017 local government elections has not been accounted for because the lists of party agents went missing and the matter was reported to the IEC. The IEC Director Dr. Letholetseng Ntsike, confirmed that party agents have not been paid by many political parties hence their appearance before the PAC. Other political parties which have been asked to account to the PAC as to why they failed to account for the money for party agents and election campaign include; Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), All Democratic Corporation (ADC), Basotho Congress Party (BCP), Basotho Development National Party (BDNP), Basotho Batho Development Party (BBDP), and Basotho African National Congress (BANC) well as the African Unity Movement (AUM), among others. Lena

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