By Neo Kolane
Young people in Lesotho, who have lived in poverty from birth, are hugely infuriated by Members of Parliament’s unanimous decision to allocate themselves M5 000 monthly petrol allowances.
On behalf of concerned youth, Motsamai Mokotjo described this move as ‘ludicrous’, especially in a time when businesses are shutting down, workers losing their jobs due to the Public Health (COVID-19) (Risk Determination and Mitigation Measures) Regulations, 2022 meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Mokotjo further stated that in other countries, parliamentarians are reducing MP’s salaries to meet the exigencies arising out of COVID-19, but “Lesotho’s legislators decided that this is the right time to allocate to themselves the ownership of the nations’ hard-earned funds.
“The kind of behaviour by our elected representatives points clearly to one that parliament has declined and has become a clique of a privileged few, totally out of touch with reality and the plight of ordinary citizens.”