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Speech by the Right Honourable the Prime Minister Mr. Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, MP at the Launch of the Parliamentary reforms Programme. Maseru Sun Hotel 15 November 2004 |
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His Majesty King Letsie III,Honourable President of senate,Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly,Honourable deputy Prime Minister,Honourable Ministers of His Majesty's Government,Honourable Attorney-General,Honourable Members of Parliament,Distinguished Participants,Ladies and Gentlemen.It is my singular honour and privilege to officiate at this historic occasion, marking the launch of the Parliamentary reforms Programme. At the outset, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the leadership of the Lesotho Parliament for affording me this rare opportunity. The parliamentary Reform Programme offers our nation a novel and deserved privilege to engage in a debate that will enhance the development of a long-term vision for one of our leading institutions of democracy. This launch, coinciding as it does, with the finalisation of Vision 2020 - THE DREAM OF THE NATION, is no mean achievement. We are today at a point where Basotho have positioned themselves to "hew a stone of hope out of a mountain of despair". The occasion thus marks a watershed in the evolution of governance and parliamentary practice in Lesotho. Honourable Members, Distinguished Participants, Parliamentary reforms are an integral part of our social transformation. It is, therefore, fitting to reflect on how we have transformed since the attainment of political independence some thirty-eight years ago. Our attainment of independence in 1966 marked the birth of a new baby, namely, "Parliamentary Democracy". However, as you may recall, this new culture was short-lived, for at 15 hours on the 30th day of January, 1970, the country was plunged into authoritarian and unconstitutional rule until the rebirth of parliamentary democracy, a good 23 years later, in March 1993. This renaissance was, however, not without major problems. The country suffered a myriad of political and constitutional crises that culminated in the political turmoil of 1998. It is not my intention to recapitulate the unpleasant events of the past, but only to reflect on where we have come from, so that we can determine where we are and what our destination is, for "those who forget their past are bond to repeat it". All of us will recall the political conflict that erupted in the wake of the 1998 General Elections and how the situation deteriorated to near anarchy. This was the most serious challenge the country's young democracy had ever faced. In response to this, a serious programme of national introspection ensued, when all the twelve political parties that had contested the elections, nominated two delegates each to form an institutionalised forum for inter-party consultations, the Interim Political Authority, or IPA, as it is popularly known. The IPA engaged in long, sometimes difficult, discussions to review the root causes of Lesotho's political conflicts which has dogged the electoral process since the first parliamentary elections of 1965. The inter-party consultative process agreed by consensus that a more inclusive parliamentary representation, reflecting the diverse opinions of the parties which participated in a national election, would: foster better ownership of the electoral process among the political parties; result in a more representative Parliament; strengthen national unity; and give all credible parties meaningful stakeholder participation in the governance of the country. Premised on this view, our electoral model was transformed for the 2002 poll, from the First-Past-the-Post model to the Mixed Member Proportional Model. This model has transformed our elected House into the most inclusive and widely representative in the country's electoral and parliamentary history. It i, indeed, gratifying that the Parliamentary Reforms Committee we are launching today reflects the same trait and character in its composition. An equally significant feature of the transformation process over the years has been the periodic increase of the number of seats in the national Assembly. As you may recall, in 1965 and 1970 the elected Chamber was Sixty (60) members strong. This figure increased to Sixty-Five (65) in 1993; to Eighty (80) in1998; and finally to the present One Hundred and Twenty (120) IN 2002. In the meantime, the size of the Senate has remained unchanged at Thirty-Three (33), consisting of Twenty-Two (22) Principal Chiefs who are ex-officio, and Eleven (11) nominated senators. Thus, the proportion of senate seats to those of the national Assembly as dropped from the initial 55% at Independence to a mere 27.5% currently! But why? Honourable Members, Distinguished Participants, This is where we are today. There is peace and tranquility and this bodes well for Parliament and other state institutions to focus on development. I have been advised that many among you had the benefit of a three-day leadership training workshop that was designed to inspire personal transformation and bridge partisan differences in pursuit of higher national goals, and the needs and aspirations of all Basotho. It is my firm belief and conviction that this exposure has gone a long way in developing your capacity to cope with your many and diverse leadership responsibilities. This capacity should stand you in good stead to participate, as lead agents, in the envisaged parliamentary reforms process. Honourable Members, Distinguished Participants, Many of you will have heard me on many an occasion, extol the virtues of advocacy and activism to promote democracy. I am steadfastly in favour of "deepening democracy" and strongly believe that to achieve real democracy we must aim at real content and substance, rather than merely the adoption of democratic and parliamentary reforms. Admittedly, the process of reform matters in and of itself. According to one school of thought, democracy can even be more important for what it prevents than for what it provides. There is, of course, the more famous wisdom from Winston Churchill that "democracy is the worst form of government except all those others that have been tried from time to time". It is my sincere belief and conviction that efforts must be constantly made to review our democratic institutions, processes and practices so that they command pubic confidence, promote participation, are more representative and capable of working for the common good. Above all, that they promote, respect and safeguard the supremacy and sovereignty of Parliament. The Voice of Parliament is the Voice of the People; the Voice of the People is the Voice of God. Honourable Members, Distinguished Participants, Parliament is essentially a political institution and as such it is both a subject and object of political dynamics. It is on the basis of this understanding, therefore, that I find it logical and appropriate to say a word or two about political parties for, indeed, they are the building blocks for the institution of Parliament. Our political parties should play the role of effective defenders of the integrity of the democratic process, playing their full part, for instance, working with the election management body to monitor and improve the quality of voter education, registration and other election arrangements. As well as being contenders at election time, political parties have a stake in the overall health of the democratic system. They can and must play a constructive role in defending and improving it. It is also perfectly realistic to expect political parties to strengthen the culture of democracy within their own organisations. While a healthy civil society is important for democracy, even Non Governmental Organisations for their part cannot do what political parties do, namely, aggregating and representing social interests; providing a structure for political participation; translating policy preferences into public policies and programmes; and presenting a comprehensive alternative to the incumbent government. Political parties are the cornerstone of representative democracy. I, therefore, take this opportunity to thank you for having included the issue of political parties in your terms of reference. Honourable Members, Distinguished Participants, As indicated earlier, the parliamentary reform process offers an opportunity to reflect on the development challenges that confront the nation and how Parliament can play a meaningful role in addressing these challenges. It is appropriate, therefore, at this juncture, to give a synopsis of the major developmental challenges:
Honourable Members Distinguished Participants I have had a close and thorough look at the terms of reference for the Parliamentary Reforms Committee (PRC). Consequently, there is no doubt in my mind that delivering on its mandate is, indeed, a tall order for the PRC. However, in its composition I see a team that will be more than equal to the task. In carrying out its mandate, the PRC must be cognizant of the fact that our Parliament is at the crossroads. We are faced with a great challenge - a choice between remaining stunted or growing and flourishing as a key institution of the land; a choice between a people-centred institution or allowing ourselves to be separated from our constituents; a choice between effectiveness and lassitude - YES, a choice between being champions of peace and stability and being destroyers of peace and stability - THAT IS OUR CHOICE. In other words, we must vindicate and, indeed, justify our people's belief in the efficacy of Parliament and parliamentary democracy. Honourable members, The only constant in life is change! It is important that we review our institutions of governance so that we can take stock of their relevance, their representativeness and, indeed, their effectiveness. It is against this background that we, in Government, welcome this initiative. I, therefore, urge al Members of Parliament to consciously, deliberately and soberly ensure the success of this parliamentary reform process, with honesty, and without malice to anybody. Lastly, I wish to express a word of gratitude and appreciation to our cooperating partners for their invaluable support throughout the Parliamentary reform process. The journey commences in earnest now and it is my hope and expectation that we will not abandon each other along the way so that we can all rejoice together at our final destination, namely, a Responsive, Effective, Accountable and Legitimate (R.E.A.L) Parliament - in short, a R.E.A.L Parliament. Mohlomphehi Molula-setulo, Litho tse Khabane, Ke se ke boletse hore ho latela khotso le botsitso tse teng naheng ea rona kajeno, kamor'a hore ho fetoloe mofuta oa likhetho le sebopeho sa Paramente, 'Muso oa Motlotlehi joale o fumane nako ea ho hlahloba lintho tsohle tse ka atlehisang le ho matlafatsa boipuso ba rona le puso ka kakaretso, ho kenyeletsoa le eona Paramente. Le lipaki, bahlomphehi ba ka, hore ka thoko ho Komiti ena eo re e thakholang kajeno, re se re ntse re e-na le likomiti le likomitjana tse ling tse seng li ntse li sebetsa ka katleho e kholo, ho atlehisa mosebetsi oa Paramente ea rona le ho tlatsetsa ntlafatsong ea puso ka kakaretso. Ke taba e tsebahalang hore motho ha a iphafe, etsoe Sesotho se re "ngoana phakoe se 'na o ipolela, motho o motle a boleloa ke ba bang". Ho joalo. Ba se nang mona b'a re phafa 'me re khola tse molemo ka ts'ebetso ea rona. Le tla hopola hore naha ea rona e sa tsoa phatlalatsoa e le e'ngoe ea linaha tse leshome le metso e ts'eletseng tse khethetsoeng ho iketela thuso tlas'a Morero oa Millennium Challenge Account. Linaha tse khethiloeng ke tse ipabotseng ka puso e ntle, e nang le ponaletso, e kenyeletsang bongata, 'me tse nang le maano a matle bakeng sa ho aba toka le kholiso ea moruo. Bekeng ena re tsoa fumana molaetsa o molemo, o tlang ho re thabisa bohle, o bolelang hore tokomane ea boiketo ba Lesotho e ananetsoe, 'me re fetela mothating o hlahlamang leetong la ho una molemo oa MCA. Ruri Mosotho oa khale o n'a ope khomo lenaka h'a re: "HO ATA HO HANOA KE MOLOI"! Ke lakatsa ho supa ke sa qea-qee hore khetho ena ea naha ea rona ha e ea re oela feela tjena ka lehlohonolo. Ehlile Lesotho le khethiloe hobane le e-na le makhabane ao a neng a hlahlojoa. Ke ka hona le ithaopileng le sa ts'abe letho ho kena tlhahlobong e etsoang ke bo-mphato (African Peer Review Mechanism) malebana le puso le tsamaiso e napahetseng ka kakaretso. Leha ho le joalo, bahlomphehi, bophelo ha boa ema nq'a e le 'ngoe; bophelo bo tletse liphetoho! Ka hona, ke taba ea bohlokoa hore re lule re ntse re itekola. Re hlahlobeng mekhahlelo e fapakaneng ea puso ea rona, hore e se be e se e fetiloe ke nako kapa ha e sa na thuso. Ke ka hoo 'muso o amohetseng ka atla tse peli, le ho ananela ho thakholoa ha ts'ebetso ena e re bokantseng koano. Ke ipiletsa ho Litho tse Khabane tsa Paramente tse kahare ho Komiti ena e thakholoang le ho bohle-bohle, ho etsa ka hohle-hohle hore ts'ebetso ea eona e be e tsoileng matsoho, e nang le katleho. Le thakelane ka malebela, etsoe "bohlale ha bo ahe ntlong e le 'ngoe". Empa kaholimo-limo, le mamellane, le mamelane, le be le mamele le ho hlompha maikutlo a beng ba rona, E LENG SECHABA SE RE KHETHILENG. Re hopoleng hore re bahlanka, 'me MOHLANKA H'A MOHOLO HO MONG'A HAE"! Ntumelle ke hona Mohlomphehi Molula-setulo ho qotsa mantsoe a bohlale a hlahang Bukeng ea Libuka, ao ke lakatsang ho a arolelana le lona, empa ka ho fetisisa e le khubu ea molaetsa oa ka ho Litho tsa Komiti ea Ntlafatso le Tokiso ea Ts'ebetso le Tsamaiso ea Paramente. Mantsoe ana a hlaha Evangeling ea Luka, Khaolo ea 12, Temana ea 48 e balehang ka tsela ena: "E mong le e mong ea neiloeng haholo, ho tla batloa haholo ho eena, 'me ea ts'epetsoeng tse ngata o tla botsoa ho feta". Boholo ba rona ka har'a ntlo ena re ka hlalosoa, 'me ka nepo, re le har'a ba neiloeng haholo. Ha ho le joalo, le boikarabelo boo re bo jereng bo boima ka tsela a ts'oanang: e leng boikabelo ba ho ba baemeli ba sechaba; ho sebeletsa litakatso tsa sechaba; ho thusa ho aha bophelo bo botle bakeng sa sechaba; esita le ho fihlela boemo bo phahameng ba puso ea sechaba ka sechaba boo Basotho ba bo lebelletseng ho rona. HA RE NA BOIKHETHELO. RE NKILE KANO 'ME RE LOKELANG HO E PHETHA KANTLE LE HO KHANANA, etsoe sefela sa Sione le Bojaki se re: Ea fanang ka pelo e ntle A se ka ho khanana, Leseho le tla mo atela, Molimo oa mo rata (sefela sa 385) Ke lakatsa ho qetella ka ho isa liteboho ho ba nileng ba re fa lithuso le ho tsamaisana tsela le rona ho fihlela mona moo re teng kajeno. Ha e le leeto, re ka re lona le qala e le ka 'nete letsatsing la kajeno 'me ke ts'epo le tebello ea ka hore, ha re na ho lahlana tseleng empa re tla thaba le nyakalla 'moho ha re fihla moo re habileng - e leng Paramenteng - e Arabelang litlhoko, e Atlehileng ka ts'ebetso, e Ikarabellang sechabeng, e Khethiloeng ka molao, le ho Ananeloa ke bohle. Moo ho khethoang hoa utloahala ho tla ba le ba khethoang le ba sa khethoeng. A re holeng lipolotiking ka hore ba hlotseng le ba hlotsoeng ba amohele ka boikokobetso hore "sechaba ke poho". Bahlomphehi ba ka, E ka ba phoso ha nka lebala ho leboha Botsamaisi ba Matlo a Mabeli a Paramente ea rona, Baetapele ba Ts'ebetso ea Matlo a Mabeli, le Basebeletsi ba Paramente, ka boitelo boo ba bo bonts'itseng ho lokisetsa ho ts'ohloa ha ntlafatso le tokiso ts'ebetsong le tsamaisong ea Paramente. Ka mantsoe ana ke boetse ke nka monyetla oa ho thoholetsa Litho tsa Paramente tse ts'epetsoeng le ho abeloa boikarabelo bona bo boholo. Ha ke na pelaelo, le tla phethisa kamoo le lebeletsoeng, esita le ho feta; etsoe "tlou ha e hloloe ke moroalo". Mohoma temeng, banna le basali ba heso! Honourable Members, Distinguished Participants, It is now my honour and great privilege to declare the Lesotho Parliamentary Reforms Programme officially launched.
KHOTSO! PULA ! NALA! 15 November 2004 |
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