Some of the political parties have walked out of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) meeting of the Law Committee held at the MGC Park premises on Thursday.

Over 20 of the political leaders called a press conference where they briefed the media about their concerns that led to them walking out of the meeting and Mr. Litaba Mohatle who is the leader of Basotho Economic Enrichment (BEE) said they were supposed to discuss three Bills, Political Parties Bill, 2024, Independent Electoral Commission, 2024 as well as the National Assembly Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

He said they suggested that the meeting be suspended since some of these Bills appear on the Omnibus Bill which contains the views of Basotho from across the country. Mohatle and other political leaders accused the IEC Chairperson Mr. Mphasa Mokhochane of being undemocratic and treating them as if they were school kids at the meeting and he failed to listen to them.

Mr. Mohatle further said despite the majority of the political parties which attended the meeting being against the Bills being discussed, Mr. Mokhochane wanted the meeting to go ahead as planned as if he had a special interest in the Bills.

Moreover, some of the political leaders present also accused Mr. Mokhochane for not being cooperative at the meeting but rather instructing them to do as he pleases. They said as the political parties’ representatives they felt that their input was not required and threatened to use other means to ensure that any decisions made by a few political parties that remained behind to continue with the meeting would not see the light of the day.

They even threatened that as the stakeholders, they would ensure that the IEC Chairperson is being relinquished of his reins.

They asked what would be the point of formulating the law that would later be amended if they clashed with the Omnibus Bill or the constitution of the country, arguing that it would be a waste of time and resources.

Some of the political parties present at the media briefing included Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), BEE, Lesotho Economic Freedom Fighters, Basotho National Party (BNP), African Unity Movement (AUM) and Basotho Liberation Movement (BLM) among others.