THE Basotho Action Party (BAP) says it has filled vacancies that were created by the mass resignations that rocked the party in the past two months. The new appointees are Ralitapole Letsoela, Teboho Lehloenya, Mothea Mpharoane, Makoala Marake and Mothepu Monku who are now members of the party’s working committee.
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Lepolesa Makutoane, who has been acting as both the party’s spokesman and secretary general, has now been appointed the party’s new secretary general.
The BAP was hit by two major resignations two weeks ago as party leader Professor Nqosa Mahao was involved in a fierce tug-of-war with Energy Ministry principal secretary, Tankiso Phapano.
MP Tello Kibane, the party’s chairman, and Tlhabeli Mojapela who was the youth league’s spokesman, also resigned accusing Professor Mahao of tyranny.
Earlier the party’s secretary general, Lebohang Thotanyane, who had been suspended, also resigned.
Two other members of the national executive committee through the women’s league, ’Mamotheo ’Molaoa and Penkula Moheeane, were fired for leaking an audio clip on why Professor Mahao had made a sharp U-turn to join the coalition government after months of publicly criticising it.
The replacements were done in a bid to stabilise the party committees, Makutoane told thepost.
Makutoane said all the vacant positions have been filled “except the chairperson’s seat that we are negotiating with Tello Kibane so that he can return”.
He said the reason they cannot fill Kibane’s position is that his resignation would not be in the best interests of the party as he stated in his resignation letter.
“We still need his presence, which is why we have entered into talks with him,” Makutoane said.
He said the committee has appointed Lehloenya to occupy the director of communications’ position that has been vacant since Thotanyana’s resignation.
“I was then moved from my communications position to secretary general after Thotanyana resigned, and the position has been vacant since then,” he said.
A party circular seen by thepost said the BAP’s national executive committee had resolved to appoint Lerato Khaka and Teboho Lehloenya to the committee.
Lehloenya is now the director of communications, media and marketing.
The circular has also rejected a call by constituencies from Leribe district for a special meeting that would elect a new chairman after Kibane tendered his resignation.
Nkheli Liphoto
