A LANDSLIDE victory saw the deputy leader of Basotho National (BNP) Machesetsa Mofomobe being ushered in as the party’s new leader during an elective conference that was held in Mazenod, Maseru on Saturday night.

Mofomobe won the race by an overwhelming majority of 295 votes, while Professor Lehlohonolo Mosotho collected 62 votes in second position with third-placed Lesojane Leuta only managing six votes.

Addressing the party in his maiden speech as the leader, Mofomobe said he felt both powerful and content, owing to the courage shown by the supporters who still went ahead with the elections in spite of a female candidate from Quthing who was shot at the conference.  
He expressed his remorse at the woman’s misfortune, adding it was however that what happened was not strange after one of the party members had earlier declared war, threatening bloodshed at the conference.

Mofomobe claimed that one of the members disappeared for 30 minutes before the shooting, pleading with the Police Commissioner to dig deeper into the incident in order to find the perpetrators.
“I plead with the Police Commissioner because the suspects are among us and I would like to see them being held accountable,” he said.
He said the BNP has always been a united party that strives for peace, adding that the shooting is something new that arrives with new people in their midst.