MASERU – Leader of opposition in parliament Mathibeli Mokhothu on Wednesday acknowledged the Multi-stake-holder National Dialogue Plenary II report for national transformation.
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Dec. 19, 2019
KABELO MASOABI
3 min read
Opposition accepts national reforms dialogue report
Reform Facilitators
Members of the National Assembly, government officials, chiefs, judges of the High Court, developmental organisations, diplomatic missions and the former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili among others, attended the event held at the ’Manthabiseng Convention Centre.
The 130 paged-document handed over by the National Dialogue Planning Committee (NDPC) to the opposition, the Prime Minister, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) reforms facilitator, amongst others, is a collection of the thematic reports that were distilled by experts from all the dialogue reports from Plenary I, the in-district consultations, the diaspora consultations and from all written submissions that came from various sectors.
According to Mr Mokhothu, the reforms process remains a course of introspection and the problems confronting the nation must be a lesson in that, “We are sailing in the ocean and we are a sinking ship. We are in a forest together; a forest that is on fire. It is up to us to act together or we shall perish together”.
When delivering his speech, Mr Mokhothu applauded on behalf of the opposition in parliament, the SADC leadership and membership for the patience and support extended during the trials and tribulations the nation faced on its road to this point.
“Needless to say, there is still a long way to go towards full implementation of the proposed reforms. We however wish to pledge full commitment and support to the progress regardless of which side of the Speaker’s chair we will be sitting in the next few days,” he said.
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He emphasized that today’s leadership had responsibility and obligation to deliver safely, to future generations, a Lesotho that is a sovereign state, that had freedom, strong institutions of governance, peaceful and stable, that has a stable prosperous national economy. “All that is left is for the parliament to implement the recommendations of the report to formulate laws,” he added.NDPC Chairperson Chaka Ntsane highlighted that the achievement of the report was not an easy walk in the park, citing the committee experienced ‘the same challenges that bedevil the socio-political arena in which the country has languished for the past 50 years and more.
However, Mr Ntsane said these were overcome due to three main factors being; the commitment of the government of Lesotho to devote the necessary resources amidst trying economic and financial circumstances; the dedication of the development partners to render support even in the face of resistance that could derail the reform process; and the consciousness of the members of the NDPC to the hope of Basotho in the villages that the reforms would bring positive change in their livelihoods.
“All these were underpinned by a strong message of encouragement from His Majesty, King Letsie III,” he stated.
The Minister of Communications Chief Thesele ’Maseribane received the report on behalf of Prime Minister Motsoahae Thabane while Mr Enver Surty received it on behalf of the SADC Facilitator, Cyril Ramaphosa who were both absent.
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