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INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 2094

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000051 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  1/30/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LT
SUBJECT: JANUARY 29 SHOOTING OF LESOTHO'S FOREIGN MINISTER 
 
REF: MASERU 35 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
Summary 
------------------ 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Local employee informed Embassy duty officer (DCM) at 
10:30 am, Sunday, January 29 of rumored shooting of Foreign 
Affairs Minister Moleleki as he approached his residence gate. 
Once alerted, AMB called the Foreign Minister at 10:40, received 
no response on home or cell numbers, then contacted senior 
Cabinet minister (finance) who was unaware of incident.  Police 
confirmed incident with EMBOFFS at 10:55 citing FOMIN had been 
brought in for a gunshot wound to the left arm.  Minister of 
Finance elaborated in telecon with AMB that as the FOMIN's car 
approached his gate around 2 - 3 am, following a national 
political party conference, his body guard alighted to find the 
guards; the Minister was then assaulted by two armed gunmen with 
Israeli military weapons.  Per AMB's telecon with FOMIN's wife, 
a physician, he was taken to the Makoayane Military Hospital 
(with three bullet wounds to the arm) for treatment where she 
said he would remain until Wednesday, February 1.  Finance 
Minister reported Sunday afternoon that the Deputy Prime 
Minister would make a statement for public consumption to ensure 
stability.  The DPM is also the Minister of Home Affairs and 
Public Safety.  Although the 18:00 news broadcast of Sunday, 
1/29 referenced "a shooting incident involving the Minister of 
Foreign Affairs," there was no public statement read or 
released.  The DPM advised AMB on 1/30 that he considered the 
incident a "grave" one and that he did intend to provide a 
statement to the public and to the diplomatic corps.  The EU and 
South African missions have the same information at this time as 
we do.  No Acting Foreign Minister has been named. 
 
¶2.  (C) Moleleki is the linchpin on several major bilateral and 
multilateral issues.  Any time he must take away from his duties 
will not only impact AU and UN decisions by the GOL, but could 
hinder progress toward an Article 98 Agreement and a Millennium 
Challenge Compact.  Moleleki's "out front" role in the ruling 
LCD party has been the subject of debate as potential candidates 
for the top spot in the 2007 National Elections juggle for 
space.  The January 27-29 Party Conference reinstated Prime 
Minister Mosisili as party head and FOMIN Moleleki as Editor of 
the LCD's paper.  Discontent has been evident since the 2005 
December party conference where Former Home Affairs and current 
Minister of Communications Minister Thabane was expected to 
strengthen his hand.  It appears Moleleki and the PM ironed out 
any differences they may have had, but the FOMIN's grassroots 
popularity may not provide ironclad protection.  End Summary 
 
Post Conference Shooting 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) Lesotho's ruling political party (Lesotho Congress for 
Democracy) began its January 27 conference already facing 
dissent within the ranks.  It ended with bullet wounds to 
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Monyane Moleleki.  The January 29 
shooting had been preceded by the brief arrests (January 22) of 
youth leaders supporting Minister of Communications Tom Thabane. 
 Allegedly, the youth league was disseminating leaflets critical 
of Prime Minister Mosisili.  (The young members were detained 48 
hours and released.)  Thabane had been touted, along with 
Moleleki, as a potential contender for the party's top job. 
FOMIN Moleleki told Ambassador that, following the December 
meeting, things were going well and the LCD party mechanisms 
were in place.  He exhibited a spirit of confidence and felt the 
leadership would continue essentially unchanged.  In the end, 
those elected during the second party congress (septel) did not 
reflect major shifts and the results support Moleleki's 
predictions. 
 
¶4.  (C) Nevertheless, some within the LCD viewed Moleleki as a 
threat to Mosisili himself.  As previously reported, the FOMIN 
(former Information Minister) is a charismatic speaker who has 
attracted support from young men and women alike.  According to 
Finance Minister Thahane, Moleleki's outspoken style and 
popularity caused tensions with the PM.  Reportedly, the January 
27 party congress speeches were contentious ones with the 
leadership touting unity, but dissatisfied factions continued to 
feel left out of the process.  In his role as editor of the 
party newspaper and as a highly visible political leader, 
Moleleki may have provided the perfect target.  A senior Cabinet 
officer suggested to us January 29, that the party's bickering 
 
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had led to the attack on the FOMIN.  The Deputy Prime Minister, 
characterizing the shooting as a "grave" situation told 
Ambassador the matter was still "under investigation."  He 
promised that an explanation and statement for the public and 
for diplomatic missions would be forthcoming. 
 
¶5.  (C) According to Minister Moleleki's wife (a physician and 
head of the Lesotho Red Cross), he will remain in the military 
hospital until February 1.  It is unclear what his work schedule 
will be once released.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is 
already suffering staff shortage without a Principal Secretary. 
Moleleki has been the designated hitter (by the PM) on working 
out language for an Article 98 Agreement.  He has also taken a 
leading role in moving along a revised Millennium Challenge 
proposal.  As former Minister of Natural Resources, he was 
deeply engaged in Lesotho's first proposal concepts and has 
played an important liaison role between involved Ministries on 
the GOL's MCC team.  One expects he will continue to apply his 
influence in these two areas.  However, whatever the nature of 
its origin, the attack on him must be viewed as a warning.  He 
may still be viewed as a threat no matter how forcefully the 
unity argument is put.  (Note:  The situation in Maseru and the 
rest of the country has remained calm.) 
 
Comment 
--------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Further details on the Moleleki incident are expected, 
but we do not believe the overall political map will be 
radically redrawn.  What must be considered is the fact that 
there exists a more-than-vocal opposition movement that views 
the Mosisili government as unresponsive to its needs.  The 
public remains one plagued by unemployment, AIDS and drought. 
The LCD, while certainly supporting donor efforts to address 
these health and development problems, is not perceived as 
having reversed the ordinary Masotho's fortunes.  One of the 
Party's key assets is, indeed, Moleleki himself.  With a retro 
Afro, safari shirts and a willingness to show up in villages 
regularly, he has tapped a vein of expectation and hope.  The 
LCD will have to make serious efforts to reach out to voters 
across the economic spectrum before the March 2007 elections. 
International interlocutors anticipate Moleleki's return to MFA, 
but may expect delayed action on some of their major concerns. 
End Comment. 
PERRY