Mafeteng, Sept. 29 — The Former Minister of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation Mrs. Mathabiso Lepono says every citizen who is eligible for casting their votes has a full right to participate in elections being held in the country.
She made the remarks after casting her vote at Ramokoatsi Polling Station located within Ramokoatsi Electoral Division where she said anyone who is denying himself/herself right to vote is making a big mistake which will not be corrected.
Mrs. Lepono said the country works with a majority hence the need for citizens to cast their votes for better results and future, being angry will not solve the problem.
She however urged the government of Lesotho to decentralise services for the benefit of the nation, saying without a decentralization process it would be difficult to implement various developmental activities.
The Former Minister clarified that Community Councilors are the right people to be given power since they are the ones living at rural areas and with knowledge on which developmental activities within their area as they are based at village level.
Lastly, she called on the Independent Electoral Commission to revise a law that discouraged people with transport to take sick and old people to polling stations to give those people an opportunity to cast their votes.
On the other hand the Assistant Returning Officer at Ramokoatsi Polling Station Mr. Moeketsi Sekopa said the number of voters casting their votes is encouraging, saying it comprises different ages starting with youth to elderly.
He said starting from 7:00 am to 11:00 am more than 200 voters have cast their votes saying she has a hope that before the closing hour they will have reached 60 percent of the voters.
Mr. Sekopa indicated that they are expecting 1303 three voters to cast their votes.
At this Polling Station there are about five contesting political parties namely All Basotho Convention, Social Revolutionise, Democratic Congress, Beans and three independent candidates.
