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May 3, 2019

3 min read

Is trouble brewing in MEC?

Is trouble brewing in MEC?

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STAFF REPORTER Movement for Economic Change (MEC) has poured cold water on allegations that it is going for the elective conference this weekend on May 3 with two warring factions. Allegations made bounds that the outgoing treasure general, businessman Makhetha Thaele, has been denied to take part in the elections and his supporters have therefore vowed to cause chaos if that happens. However, Thaele has rubbished the claims. “This is a blatant lie. What would I gain in disrupting the conference, if I lose the elections I will accept the results and keep peace as we all know MEC is a peaceful party.”

MEC will be going tor elective conference for the first time since it was formed in 2017 as its affairs had been run by interim committee which took it to the general elections that gave the party six seats in parliament – making it the fight biggest party in Lesotho.

MEC was formed by its current leader, Selibe Mochoboroane, after he broke away from Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD). He gained one constituency seat, his home constituency of Thabana-Morena and five proportional representation seats.

The allegations going about this week, including on soicail media, alleged that already the camps inside the MEC are failing to stomach their differences in the choice of candidates for the party’s most influential positions which include that of treasurer, threatening to tear the new party apart.

Thaele, who is said to be contesting for the position of treasurer, which he currently holds temporarily, has denied ever having plans to disrupt the up-coming conference but instead said this was a smear campaign against him, by another camp that may be feeling pressure and scared that he is going to win the treasurer position against them.

He said he was never denied entering the election race by anybody adding that the allegations are unfounded.

He also assured party supporters that the conference will be peaceful and there will be nothing out of the ordinary that will occur, “at least not caused by me”.

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Earlier in March, the party's Public Relations Officer Napo Moshoeshoe also rubbished allegations that there are two factions in the party, one that is allegedly led by the leader and one that is allegedly led by him.

“It is not true that the party has factions, and MEC will come back from the elections as united as ever because its supporters believe in democracy and the outgoing committee understands that the election
conference holds all the authority to determine who leads the party,” he said adding that it is with that understanding that they cannot go against the conference which is currently the highest authority in the hierarchy of the party.

The outgoing interim NEC was headed by Mochoboroane, who was deputised by Mantsiuoa Mosothoane, Secretary General, Pheea Ntsihlele, with Marethabile Sabole as vice, Treasurer, Thaele, PRO, Napo Moshoeshoe, Deputy PRO, Thakane Mapeshoane, National Chairperson, Mosiuoa Nthakong who was deputised by Motlalepula Khahloe.

Those elected will be replaced after five years as per the party’s constitution.

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