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DE RUEHMR #0164/01 0901156
ZNR UUUUU
R 311156Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000164 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
RANGOON FOR PATRICK MURPHY 
 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM LT
SUBJECT: INTRA-PARTY FEUDS AND CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE I.E.C. 
 
 
MASERU 00000164  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.      Summary: Intra-party feud within the Basotho National 
Party (BNP), the largest opposition party, is no longer confined 
to the executive committee; it has spread to the BNP Youth 
League as well. Joang Molapo is challenging Moeketsi Hanyane, 
current Chairman of the Youth League. Meanwhile, Thabang Nyeoe, 
the leader of a small faction of rebel BNP Members of Parliament 
(MPs) has alleged that there was a plan to assassinate him with 
a " petrol bomb ".  The BNP Youth League also released a press 
statement calling on the government not to extend the contracts 
of the two Commissioners of the Independent Electoral Commission 
(IEC), Leshele Thoahlane (current Chairman of the IEC) and 
Mokhele Likate, as they approach the end of their two terms in 
office. Another controversy involving the IEC was the arrest of 
the Director of elections, Khothatso Ralitsie and Operations 
Inspector, Kotsoane Motsie for fraud on February 10, 2006.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2.      Internal power struggles have become evident in the BNP 
Youth League recently as a small group of rebel Youth League 
members announced that they had elected Joang Molapo who lost to 
the current chairman in April, 2005. The Chairman condemned the 
action by Molapo's group, which is associated with the rebel BNP 
MPs who call their group, "Struggle for Democratic Change". The 
Statement by the BNP Youth League leadership labeled them as 
"sore losers" who were bent on destabilizing the party. The 
Chairman added that they do not abide by democratic norms and 
values and do not respect the rule of law. The statement by 
Youth League stressed that those rebel members should seize from 
making false statements proclaiming their un-elected minuscule 
group as the legitimate one. 
 
¶3.      The Chairman of the BNP Maseru Regional Constituencies, 
Motloheloa Khaka, issued a separate press statement denouncing 
and ridiculing the statement by the Deputy Prime Minister in 
Parliament on February 10, 2006 regarding an "assassination 
attempt" on the renegade BNP MP and leader of the "Struggle for 
Democratic Change" faction of the BNP, Mr. Thabang Nyeoe.  Mr. 
Khaka challenged the manner in which the " bomb" was discovered 
by Mr. Nyeoe's driver and subsequent action. The BNP inquired 
how the driver knew that the object was a "bomb" and asked why 
he did not call the police bomb disposal unit or a forensic team 
of experts to scene of the find but instead called a friend of 
his to remove the object and take it to the police. Khaka wanted 
an explanation as to why someone could just remove a dangerous 
object without calling the police. Secondly, he wanted Nyeoe and 
his supporters to elaborate on how a molotov cocktail, to which 
was attached an unsigned threatening note and a 5.56 caliber 
round, was going to explode without an operator present at the 
scene.  He also inquired how Mr. Nyeoe would have read the 
contents of the "threatening note" if the "bomb" was intended to 
kill him instantly. Mr. Khaka pointed out that this was a simple 
hoax intended to prop-up Mr. Nyeoe's political career. He called 
Nyeoe a nonentity and urged him to desist from such a 
stage-managed hare-brained stunt. He concluded by advising Mr. 
Nyeoe and his "cronies" to stop "crying wolf", because next time 
people might not know if truly there is a wolf out to devour 
him. 
 
 
¶4.      In a separate press release, the BNP called on the 
government not to extend the contracts of the two IEC 
Commissioners. The BNP stated that Messrs Thoahlane and Likate 
would complete their two (2) terms in office in accordance with 
the constitution in April, 2006.  The BNP Youth League members 
indicated that their sources informed that the government with 
advice by the Attorney General a.i., was looking for a loophole 
to by-pass the constitution and extend the contracts against the 
wishes of the majority of opposition parties. They have also 
indicated that they have lost confidence in the IEC because it 
had allowed  unwarranted interference by members of the cabinet. 
They contend that the IEC is "independent" only by name. 
 
¶5.      On February 24 2006, two officers from the IEC, Khothatso 
Ralitsie, Director of Elections and Kotsoane Motsie, Operations 
Inspector, appeared before a Magistrate Court facing a fraud 
charge.  They are accused of collaborating with two directors of 
M and K Security Company that guards IEC facilities nationally. 
They are accused of making false payments "phantom guards" and 
also exaggerating the number of guards in the districts. The 
case was remanded to the first week of April but the date has 
not been set. The four were released after paying a  M 4000.00 
(approximately $ 650.00) bail deposit. The two IEC officers have 
not been suspended; they are still on active duty. 
 
¶6.      Comment: The intra-party turmoil in the BNP Youth League 
is not likely to make any significant impact. The group led by 
Joang Molapo is small and has no real following. The BNP 
statement regarding an "assassination attempt by a petrol bomb" 
on a rebel BNP MP, illustrated how ill conceived and terribly 
executed the hoax was. The BNP has managed to convince many 
observers that this was in fact a hoax. This incident raised 
 
MASERU 00000164  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
more questions and doubts than answers. 
 
 
        With regard to the contracts of the IEC Commissioners, 
there is still no clear indication on what course of action the 
government will take. This has generated a lot of interest and 
in the next few weeks, various stakeholders will be watching 
closely whether the contracts will be extended or the government 
and the State Council in consultation with political parties 
will appoint new commissioners.  The Government has held talks 
with opposition parties and suggested a compromise position -- 
to retain one "experienced" Commissioner so there will be at 
least one knowledgeable official to prepare for the 2007 
elections.  Word is that the opposition has rejected the 
compromise.  If the stalemate continues, the Prime Minister 
would call the Council of State, a body which advises King 
Letsie III.  Such action, if it occurs, would take place over 
the next 2-3 weeks since the Commissioners' terms end in April. 
 
        The fraud case involving IEC officers has re-ignited the 
assertion by opposition parties especially the BNP, that the IEC 
has always been staffed by corrupt officers since the first 
post-military elections in 1993. The situation is exacerbated by 
the fact that the two officers have not been suspended from 
active duty pending the outcome of their trial, as it is the 
usual practice. This incident, according to many observers, is 
unusual and raises many questions about the integrity of the 
IEC. In addition, the fact that none of the opposition parties 
participated in the recent by-election held on March 22 2006, in 
Lebakeng Constituency, in the Qacha's Nek district shows lack of 
faith in the IEC by political parties. Meanwhile, in the ruling 
party, a cabinet reshuffle is expected to take place within a 
month or two according to post contacts. There is still tension 
within the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) since 
their last conference in January and the shooting of the Foreign 
Minister. Rumors suggest that up to four cabinet members may 
lose their portfolios. End comment. 
PERRY