MASERU – Sacking of the Tourism Minister and Conference Chairperson of the All Basotho Convention (ABC), Mr. Motlohi Maliehe is a political miscalculation on the side of the party, says the party's outspoken supporter, Mr. Montoeli Masoetsa. Mr. Masoetsa, in an interview on Tuesday, said the decision to dismiss Mr. Maliehe from his ministerial position was a political miscalculation, one that might prove disastrous to the party's stability and that of the 4x4 coalition government. He said it would only have made sense if the party had secured Maliehe's position as minister, rather than boot out the third man in the ABC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) hierarchy. Explaining his point, Masoetsa said it might prove difficult for the party to control Maliehe and his plans when “he is on the other side”, unlike when he is holding a ministerial position; thus giving leverage to the Prime Minister and leader of the ABC over Mr. Maliehe. Commenting on the possible scenarios created by the move, Mr. Masoetsa said the party is headed for an introspection conference towards the end of the month, but now there is a possibility of it not seeing the light of the day as Mr. Maliehe's dismissal has angered some supporters. Another scenario he mentioned was the hijacking of the introspection conference such that it would mutate into a Special Conference with the intention of toppling the NEC and the leader. However, the ABC constitution provides for a life-time term of the party’s leadership seat. And on that, Mr. Masoetsa said the Special Conference has power to suspend the constitution and make decisions as the top most party structure. On the other hand, the ABC Youth League Spokesperson, Mr. Mphonyane Lebesa the decision to boot out Mr. Maliehe was professional and no one has any power to oppose it just as was his appointment was unopposed. He emphasised that, as the Youth League, they fully accept the decision, adding that people who were seen as Mr. Maliehe's supporters were only behind him because he works under the ABC umbrella and not because they support him as an individual; therefore, he cannot be a threat to the party. He also insisted that the party is now united, more than ever, and there are no factions whatsoever. Mr. Maliehe on Tuesday received a dismissal letter from the Prime Minister and ABC leader Dr. Thomas Thabane. He left the office of the Tourism Minister the same day. Mr. Maliehe said: “Dr. Thabane has all the right to appoint or to dismiss Ministers, and in his case, I have always known that one way or the other I was going to be booted out. So, I had prepared myself for anything.” According to Mr. Maliehe, the instability and infighting within the ABC was the major trigger to his dismisal and his recent fall-out with the party's NEC saw him last Friday being denied the opportunity to direct the party’s rally programme as the Conference Chairperson. Mr. Maliehe's woes started when he launched a scathing attack on Thabane’s wife, Mrs. ‘Maeasiah Thabane at a rally in the Mechachane constituency, sometime in May, suggesting that "Thabane seems to have lost control of the party to his wife". Commenting on Mr. Maliehe’s sacking, Professor Kopano Makoa of the National University of Lesotho (NUL) said the situation presence a threat to the coalition government for two reasons. First, it is likely to create a psychological boost for the Prime Minister that since he has managed to fire Mr. Maliehe, who supposedly has a broad support base in the party; therefore, he will feel that he can dislodge anyone from the party. Second, it creates a situation where people may not perform their duties as they should and instead work to please him, knowing that if they happen to have a fall-out with the PM's wife, as it is the case with Mr. Maliehe, they might get fired. Lena