Maseru, Apr.02 — Former Minister of Defence Mr. Ts’eliso Mokhosi has again been elected as the Deputy Leader of Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) during the three-day elective conference held at Methodist High School Hall in Berea.
He was contesting against the then suspended Secretary General Mr. Teboho Sekata whom he defeated with 650 votes to 109 votes.
The position of Secretary General was won by Associate Professor Mots’elisi Mokhethi who is deputised by Mr. Mokete Moshanyana while Treasurer is Mr. Pheto Matla.
The Chairperson is Mr. Thabang Pheko and will be assisted by Mr. Motlatsi Matipi while Public Relations Officer is Mr. Apesi Rats’ele and deputy is Rants’iuoa Lesenyeho.
Other members are Ms. Lineo Tlali, Mr. Sehloho Monatsi, Ms. ‘Maphoka Setofolo and Mr. Mabuta Makhele.
The Leader position was not contested for as Mr. Mothejoa Metsing’s term has not ended.
Meanwhile LCD has three Proportional Representation seats following the 2022 Genaral elections which saw Revolution for Prosperity (RFP), a new baby in the block taking 57 constituencies
In this Era there are two factions within the party Litipi siding with Sekata while Makhabunyane are with Metsing and his Deputy Ts’eliso Mokhosi. This is not the first time that LCD has two factions as in 2012 they had Lijamollo and Litimamollo which led to the formation of Democratic Congress (DC).
In 1997, then Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle left the Basutoland Congress Party (BCP) to form with his faction the new Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD). The new party won the 1998 elections with 60.7% of the popular vote and 79 out of 80 seats. Dr. Pakalitha Mosisili became the new party leader and prime minister. At the elections for the National Assembly, May 25, 2002, the party won 54.9% of popular votes and 77 out of 120 seats. In the February 17, 2007 parliamentary election, the party won 62 out of 120 seats.
Major splits from the party occurred in October 2001, when leading LCD members Kelebone Maope and Shakhane Mokhehle left the party to form the Lesotho People’s Congress (LPC) and in October 2006, when Tom Thabane left the party to form the All Basotho Convention (ABC). Prior to the Lesotho general election, in 2012 the party split again with incumbent Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili forming the Democratic Congress (DC) and the then General Secretary Mothetjoa Metsing taking over the party leadership.
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