The Ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) grabbed the Makhaleng No, 45 constituency at the fresh elections conducted on Saturday.

LCD beat its closest rival All Basotho Convention (ABC) by accumulating 2165 votes against 1585 and will now add its seats in the National Assembly to 62.

Speaking after being declared as the overall winner and representative of the Makhaleng constituency by the returning officer Mrs. Aria Toloane, Mrs. 'Mankati Masobeng expressed happiness and pledged to work together with other candidates for the development of Makhaleng.

She said people will be recruited soon at the constituency to start developmental projects like donga rehabilitation and tree planting.

On the other hand the ABC Candidate Mr. Thaane Ramafikeng said he has lost because people at the constituency still take differences in politics personally.

He said differences in political ideology should not promote hatred but as different principles of addressing problems facing communities.

Mr. Ramafikeng said another factor was that rural people do not want changes as he won most of the votes at Ha Moits'upeli and Fatima, which according to him were not remotest areas.

The returning officer at the constituency appealed to Mrs. Masobeng to work together with seven other candidates who did not make it to the parliament.

She also urged her to always comeback to the constituency to get mandate from the electorate.

Other parties that contested the fresh elections were the Alliance of Congress Parties (ACP) 71, Basotho Batho Democratic Party (BBDP) 47, Basotholand Congress Party (BCP) 282, Basotho National Party (BNP) 262, Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP) 51 and National Independent Party (NIP) 304.

The constituency elections were held later due to the death of ACP candidate prior to holding of general elections on February 17 and only party polls were conducted with NIP coming up tops with 2664 votes.

SOURCE: LENA 02/07/2007