Maseru, April 02—The Alliance of Democrats (AD) has lost more National Executive Committee (NEC) members after some of them stopped from attending the committee’s meetings.
This was revealed by the party Leader Dr Monyane Moleleki in his opening remarks of the elective conference held at Leqele High School in Maseru on Saturday.
He said National Organiser Mr Kotiti Diholo has stopped from attending the AD’s NEC meetings as well as his Deputy Mr Tsukutlane Au and Deputy Conference Chairperson Mr Kose Makoa.
The Party Leader stated that AD’s constitution spells it clearly that if an NEC member fails to attend three consecutive meetings, such a person is considered to have expelled himself or herself from the party.
‘’They are shown signs of fatigue’’ he commented.
Furthermore he lamented the loss of other NEC members who deflected to join newly formed Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) when it was formed in March last year.
He identified them as former AD Secretary General Dr Mahali Phamotse, former Treasurer Dr Tlohelang Aumane, former Deputy Secretary Mrs ‘Manthabiseng Phohleli and Mr Batlokoa ‘Makong as well as Mr Lefa Mapota.
Dr Moleleki said AD was negatively affected by the formation of RFP more than any other political party in the country.
Furthermore, he explained why AD failed to hold its elective conference end of January as stipulated in its constitution, citing that AD members should accept that the situation was not yet ready.
He made an example that due to new constituencies’ delimitation, AD did not have registered members in some of the constituencies despite knowing quite well that they have members in such constituencies.
Dr Moleleki also indicated that AD also failed to hold its leadership conference end of September and the beginning of October last year due to many factors like campaigning for the National Assembly elections.
The party Leader also reiterated his stance that he was no longer going to India to take Ambassadors position there due to the manner in which the whole issue has been handled.
He also stated that AD is currently in a precarious position and therefore he would not like to go to India for his personal gains and his family alone, leaving the party struggling.
Speaking about AD’s state of affairs, he stated that in 2017, the party was voted by 42 000 people but in 2022, AD gained almost half of the votes hence it has five seats which include two constituencies of Mosalemane and Malibamatso plus three Proportional Representation seats.
The party Leader hinted that all was not well between him and his Deputy Leader two months prior to the elective conference as they were campaigning for the leadership of the party.
He stated that eight AD members who have been employed in the Government as a result of one cabinet position held by his Deputy Leader Professor Ntoi Rapapa, were used to campaign against him.
Dr Moleleki said those eight AD members were not hired by Prof. Rapapa but by the AD NEC committee which sat down to identify those who should be given those positions.
He therefore hoped that the elective conference would unite the members in order to avoid seeing the party decline even further five years down the line.
The AD Leader lambasted the current AD NEC for having leaked internal information through the social media, saying that was sabotaging the party itself.
‘’I have been serving in NECs for almost 30 years of my life in politics. I have never seen anything like this where internal information of what was discussed in the meeting could be posted the following day on social media’’ he stated in astonishment.
He stated that such a tendency could collapse governments, saying he has seen it happening, where people lost their lives due to leaking of information as well as governments collapsing as a result of that.
AD is a splinter party from Democratic Congress (DC) and has five seats in the 120 parliamentary seats.
It is part of the coalition government with RFP and MEC following the October 7 National Assembly elections which were won by RFP with 57 constituencies.
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