ABC withdraws from ruling coalition
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By Staff Reporter
All Basotho Convention (ABC) parliamentary caucus Chairperson Leshoboro Mohlajoa told the National Assembly in a letter read to the house by the Speaker that the party withdraws from its coalition government with the Democratic Congress (ABC).
ABC leader, Nkaku Kabi told the house the party decision is clearly that it withdraws itself from the Government.
Since Kabi’s election, the question whether Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro will step down for Kabi caused much debate with claims that ABC would withdraw from government if it’s new leader is not installed as Premier.
But amid the ABC Caucus decision, Speaker Sephiri Motanyane said the house cannot be drawn in to deal with ABC’s issues but the party itself must deal with its internal issues on its own.
ABC Chairperson and Minister of Communications Samuel Tsoinyane Rapapa suggested that the Speaker must maintain a precedent set in 2020 when the withdrawal of a party from parliament included the call of names of the party members in the house to pronounce themselves.
But Motanyane said the letter by the ABC was not accompanied by a list of the members of the party in the house who attended the Caucus that decided the withdrawal of the party.
He added if there was a list of the MPs, then it would be clear what process must be followed.
An ABC stalwart Motlohi Maliehe questioned the authenticity of the letter by the ABC Caucus arguing there was never such a meeting or he never attended such a meeting and the last meeting of the Caucus ended while there was a stalemate.
Basotho Patriotic Party leader Tefo Mapesela argued the house cannot listen to a budget brought to the house by a government that is no more and has its leading party withdrawn from government.
Motanyane told the house what he wants to get to amid calls for the house not to proceed towards the presentation for he national budget is to establish who would be in charge of government if the existing coalition is being disbanded.
Motanyane said the standing order of the day cannot procedurally be cancelled by him as the Speker but must be cancelled through a motion to the house by a member of the house by following due process.
