PM's Inaugural Speech-08 June 2012 - The Lesotho Government ...

PUO EA MOHLOMPHEHI TONA-KHOLO
MONGHALI MOTSOAHAE THOMAS THABANE
TLHAPANTŠONG EA HAE E LE TONA-KHOLO
EA LESOTHO
MASERU, KA LA 8 JUNE, 2012

MOTLOTLEHI KHOSI LETSIE LA BORARO LE MOTLOTLEHI
MOFUMAHALI ‘MASENATE
YOUR EXCELLENCIES HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
MOHLOMPHEHI MOOKAMELI OA SENATE
MOHLOMPHEHI MOTSAMAISI OA LIPUISANO KA LEKHOTLENG
LA SECHABA
MOHLOMPHEHI MOOKAMELI OA LEKHOTLA LA MAIPILETSO
MOHLOMPHEHI MOAHLOLI E MOHOLO
BAHLOMPHEHI BAAHLOLI BA LEKHOTLA LE PHAHAMENG
BAHLOMPHEHI LITHO TSA LEKHOTLA LA NAHA
YOUR EXCELLENCIES HEADS OF DIPLOMATIC MISSION AND
HEADS OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
MOHLOMPHEHI RAMOLAO E MOHOLO OA ‘MUSO
BAHLOMPHEHI BAKHETHOA BA SECHABA
MARENA A SEHLOOHO, LE MARENA ‘OHLE A TŠOARISANENG
PUSO LE ‘ONA
BALULA-SETULO LE LITHO TSA KOMISI EA KHIRO EA
BAHLANKA BA SECHABA, KOMISI EA KHIRO EA LITICHERE,
KOMISI E IKEMETSENG EA LIKHETHO, KOMISI EA PUSO EA
LIBAKA LE KOMISI AIDS
MONGOLI E MOHOLO OA’MUSO
MONAMOLI
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LEKHOTLA LA LIKEREKE LESOTHO
BAETA-PELE BA MEKHA EA LIPOLOTIKI
BANGOLI BA BAHOLO BA MAKALA A ’MUSO
BAOKAMELI BA SESOLE, SEPOLESA, MAUTLOELA LE LITSI TSA
TLHABOLLO EA BATŠOARUOA
BAPHATLALATSI BA LITABA
BAHLANKA BOHLE BA SECHABA
BO-NTATE LE BO-‘M’E LE LONA BACHA
Baheso, lea elelloa hore kahare ho rona ho na le baeti ba sa
bueng puo ena ea rona. Ka hona ntumelleng ke mpe ke ba
hlalosetse hore ke tla bea puo ea ka ka leleme la Sesotho,
empa khabareng le bona ke tla ba kumela hore na ke ne ke
ntse ke reng ho lona sechaba sa heso.
At the outset, permit me to make my statement in Sesotho, our
mother tongue, so that I can be clearly understood by the
Basotho Nation. At the end, I will convey my message in
English, which is the second official language of the Kingdom of
Lesotho.
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Sechaba sa heso,
Ke ema ka pele ho lona ke aparetsoe ke thabo e
khaphatsehang, le boikokobetso bo boholo, ho amohela
boikarabello bona boo ke bo tšepeloang ke Motlotlehi le
Sechaba sa Basotho ho ba hlooho ea ‘Muso oa Motlotlehi.
Re tsoa likhethong tse akaretsang haufinyane, tseo hantle li
hlōtsoeng ke lona sechaba sa heso, kaha e le lona, ka bongata
ba lona, banna le basali ba heso, le lona bacha, le tlisitseng
boemo bona ka khetho ea lona. Ka lebaka lena, tlholo ena ha
se ea ka, ke ea lona.
Letsatsing lena la mathomo, leo ka lona ke nkang kano ea ka
ea bohlanka, ke ema ka pele ho lona sechaba sa heso, ho le
tiisetsa hore, ka thuso le matla a Morena Molimo, ke tla etsa
sohle se matleng a ka, ho le sebeletsa ka ‘nete, ka toka, le ka
botšepehi, le ho le baballela puso e hloekileng e nang le
ponaletso, phethahatsong ea merero le litakatso tsa lona
sechaba sa Basotho.
Letsatsi lena la kajeno, ke letsatsi le hloliloeng ke Morena
Molimo. Ke ka thato ea Molimo ea matla ‘ohle re tsebileng ho
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tataea har'a lefifi le letšo la likhohlano le liphapang tsa
lipolotiki, ho fihlela mona moo re leng teng kajeno. Hape ke ka
matla a Molimo, ‘Mopi le Morena oa rona, re tlang ho qala
leeto lena le lelelele, leeto le metheo le meepa, la puso ka
lilemo tse hlano tse tlang.
Ntumelleng hee, sechaba sa heso, ke qale pele ka ho leboha
eena Morena Molimo, le ho mo kopa ho re bonesetsa kamehla,
hore re bone tsela ea rona leetong lena leo re le simollang
‘moho kajeno.
Motlotlehi Letsie III
Motlotlehi ‘M’e ‘Masenate
Bahlomphehi
Bo-Ntate le bo-‘M’e,
Lebitsong la ka le lebitsong la lona sechaba sa heso, ke leboha
ka pelo eohle ea ka baeti ba rona ba bohlokoa ba tsoang
linaheng tse nang le setsoalle le naha ea rona, baemeli ba
mekhatlo ka ho fapakana ha eona le metsoalle ea rona eohle, e
tsoang kantle le kahare ho naha. Re re ho lona, re leboha ruri
ha le tsebile ho behella ka thoko mesebetsi ea lona ho tla
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tlotlisa letsatsi lena, le ho tla ba lipaki tsa kano ea bohlanka eo
ke sa tsoa e nka, ha ke amohela thómo ea sechaba.
Bahlomphehi ba ka,
Ka ho khetholoha ke lakatsa ho lebohela Motlotlehi, ‘Muso oa
hae, esita le sechaba sa Basotho ka kakaretso, ka mosebetsi o
moholo oo re tsoang ho feta ho oona oa likhetho, ‘me o
entsoeng ka makhethe a maholo ruri.
Ke boele ke lebohe ka pelo eohle ea ka mekhahlelo ena e
latelang:
Metsoalle ea Lesotho le Bafani, ka litlatsetso le lithuso
tseo ba li entseng ho re tšehetsa mosebetsing ona o
boima oa likhetho;
Baetapele lipolotiking tsa naha ena, bao esaleng re
tšoarana ka matsoho tokisetsong ea likhetho tsena. Re
leboha haholo khotso eo re sebelitseng ka eona;
Baruti ba Moshoeshoe, ka lithapelo le likhothatso, le ka
ho kenya letsoho ka mokhoa o matla ho bopa moea oa
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kutloano le mamellano, hore re behe naha ea rona pele
ho litakatso tsa rona ka linako tsohle. Re le Basotho re
lokela ho ikotla sefuba ka tlatsetso e matla e etsoang ke
boetapele ba likereke, e seng feela litabeng tsa moea,
empa le tharollong ea mathata a puso ea sechaba ka
kakaretso;
Re leboha mekhatlo e ikemetseng, ka tlatsetso eo e e
entseng, haholo-holo thupelong ea bakhethi le ho
hlokomelisa sechaba ka bohlokoa ba ngoliso le likhetho
ka bo-tsona;
Balebelli ba likhetho bohle, ba Lesotho esita le ba
tsoang linaheng le mekhatlong e fapakaneng ea lefatše.
Re ananela bolula-qhooa le qeto ea bona hore likhetho
e bile tsa khotso le bolokolohi, ‘me tse nang le
ponaletso;
Komisi e Ikemetseng ea Likhetho (IEC) le bahlanka
bohle ba eona, ka tšebetso e ntle tlhophisetsong le
tsamaisong ea likhetho tsena. Rea leboha ruri, ‘me le
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moo e bang mefokolo e bile teng, re se re ba inetse
matsoho metsing hoba matsoho ho lutla a sebetsang;
Re leboha le ho thoholetsa marena a naha ena ka
kakaretso, ka tlatsetso ea bona tokisetsong le
tsamaisong ea mosebetsi ona oa likhetho;
Bahlanka ba tšireletso ka mafapha ’ohle a bona, ka
mosebetsi o khahlehang oo ba o entseng tokisetsong ea
likhetho le tšireletsong ea sechaba le thepa, le ho lula e
le bo-‘mesa-mohloane ho bona hore likhetho tsena e ba
tsa khotso;
Baphatlalatsi ka mafapha ’ohle a bona, kamoo ba ileng
ba bea sechaba sehlohlolong sa litaba ka linako tsohle;
le
Sechaba sa Basotho ka kakaretso, ka mamellano,
tlhomphano le khotso, tseo ka tsona ba sebelitseng
mosebetsi ona o moholo oa likhetho.
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Ka thabo e kholo, ‘me ka ho khetholoha, lebitsong la bo mphato
oa ka, baetapele ba mekha le makhotla a lipolotiki, ke leboha
balekane ba rona le malapa a rona, ka tšehetso eo esaleng ba
re fa eona haesale re qala mosebetsi ona o boima oa likhetho.
Ho tloha qalong ho fihlela qetellong, joko ena e boima re ne re
e jarisane le bona. Ba oele, ba tsoha le rona, ba re khothatsa
ha eka re felloa ke matla.
Sechaba sa Heso
Bo-Ntate le Bo-‘M’e
Le lona bacha,
Lerōle le neng le aparetse makhotla le mekha ea lipolotiki
matsatsing a ho feta, ha ho ne ho iketeloa botšehetsi ba
sechaba, le kokobetse joale. Sefefo se matla sa lerata la
lipolotiki tsa likhetho se khutsitse. Sechaba se hoile ka lentsoe
le phefa, se entse khetho ea sona. Ha sechaba se buile, eba le
lumme.
Re le Basotho, re lehlohonolo hobane re sechaba se thehiloeng
ke Morena Moshoeshoe I, ea ileng a kopanya mefuta-futa ea
lichaba, a re tlamahanya hammoho, ra ba ngatana-‘ngo’e e
bitsoang Basotho le kajeno. Ha lichaba tse ling li aroha’ngoa ke
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lipuo le litumelo tse fapakaneng, liphapano tsa merabe,
mekhoa le meetlo, rona Basotho re sechaba se le seng se
buang puo e le ‘ngoe. Ka hona, ho fapana ha rona ka maikutlo
le mapetjo a lipolotiki ha hoa lokela ho ba sesosa sa karohano
ea rona.
Morena Moshoeshoe o ile a theha sechaba sa Basotho nakong
eo lichaba li neng li futuhelana ebile ho e-na le ba jang ba
bang, e leng malimo, a qetelletseng a jele ntata’e moholo.
Empa Morena Moshoeshoe o ile a atleha ho fa lira tsa hae
khotso, esita le ‘ona malimo ao. A li fa mofuthu oa lerato, a li
tiisetsa tšireletso, a bokella marena le lichabana tsa ‘ona, a ba
tlamahanya ‘moho, ‘me a ahela lesaka taelo ea morena
Mohlomi ha a ne a re, ho se be motho ea ntseng a re ho
Moroa, Moroa tooe. Ke mona kajeno re sechaba har’a lichaba
tse ling, re sechaba se tsebahalang ka khotso, ‘me re
itsamaisetsa litaba tsa puso ea rona. Re tseba ho qothisana
lehlokoa lipolotiking ho se ea thibeloang ka lebaka la maemo a
hae, tumelo ea hae, kapa ka hore na o tsoa sebakeng se fe.
Haele mona sefefo se khutsitse, ‘me sechaba se supile tsela, ke
itlama kapele ho Morena Molimo, kapele ho Motlotlehi, kapele
ho Likereke tsa rona, marena a rona, makhotla le mekha ea
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lipolotiki le balateli ba ‘ona, le ho sechaba ka kakaretso, bohle
ba teng le ba sieo koano, hore ke tla sebeletsa sechaba sohle
sa Basotho ka toka, ka ‘nete le bohloeki. ‘Muso o eteletsoeng
pele ke ‘na, ha e na ho ba ‘muso oa mokha oa heso oa
lipolotiki, kapa oa bao re leng setlamong le bona feela, empa e
tla ba ‘muso oa sechaba sa Basotho ka moka. Ke tla sebeletsa
ho kopanya Basotho e le hore re tle re tsebe ho hlola mathata a
bofuma, mathata a tlhokahalo ea mesebetsi le mathata a tlala
le mafu ana a hlorisang sechaba sa habo rona.
Ke mema bo-mphato oa ka, lona bao re khethiloeng le lona,
hore re tšoaraneng ka matsoho, ‘me re beheng mohoma
temeng. Mona ke bua ka bakhethoa kaofela ke sa khetholle.
Sechaba se re tšepetse ho se etella pele ka sebopeho sena seo
re emeng ka sona. Ka hona re sepane sa sechaba, re sepane se
le seng. Ka mantsoe a mang, sechaba se re hlomphile haholo
ho re fa boikarabello bona ba ho se etella pele. Qholotso e re
tobileng ke hore re tiisetse sechaba hore ha sea khetha ka
phoso, ehlile se betsitse chitja, ‘me e le sechaba, lentsoe la
sona ke lentsoe la Molimo.
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Sechaba sa Heso,
Ha ke hloke ho le hopotsa nalane ea lipolotiki tsa naha ena ea
rona. Le lipaki hore re fetile nakong tse thata ho tloha lilemong
tsa bo-1970, 1974, 1994, le bo-1998. Re sebelitse ka thata
hore re fihle boemong bona ba puso ea sechaba ka sechaba,
boo re leng ho bona kajeno.
Re lokela ke hona ho hetla morao, ’me re nene lintho tsohle tse
re hlokisitseng botsitso ka nako e fitileng, e le hore re phetleng
leqephe le lecha nalaneng ea puso ea naha ea rona, re
matlafatse kopano le bo-'ngoe ba sechaba tse re li rutiloeng ke
Morena Moshoeshoe I, re bouleleng khotso le botsitso ba
Lesotho, ‘me re aheng naha ena molemong oa rona le
molemong oa meloko e tlang.
Sechaba sa Heso,
Haele mona re kena leetong lena la puso ea lilemo tse hlano tse
tlang, ke rata hore re ikhopotseng hore ka selemo sa 2000
sechaba sa Lesotho se ile sa lumellana ka tokomane e bitsoang
Vision 2020. Tokomane ena e supa lintlha-kholo tsa hore na re
labalabela hore Lesotho le be maemong a fe a ntlafatso. Litaba
tseo kaofela li lokela ho arabeloa ka meralo e hlakileng ea
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‘muso le Moralo oa Ntlafatso oa Naha (National Strategic
Development Plan).
Phephetso e kholohali ka ho fetisisa, eo re tobaneng le eona, ke
pheliso ea bofuma le ntlafatso ea maphelo a Sechaba naheng
ea rona. E le ho fihlela sepheo sena, ‘muso oa Motlotlehi o
lokela ho tsepamisa maikutlo a oona holim’a kholiso ea moruo,
ka sebopeho seo mafapha ‘ohle a tlang ho kenya letsoho le ho
khola litholoana tsa katleho. ‘Nete ke hore, ha moruo o hola le
mesebetsi e tla ata:
Re tla ema ka maoto ke hona, ho hohela le ho thusa bo-
ramatsete ba tsoang kantle le kahare ho naha ho theha
mesebetsi mona Lesotho;
Re tla ntlafatsa khokahanyo le marang-rang a litšebeletso
tse kang litsela, metsi, motlakase, le meaho e hlokahalang
bakeng sa khoebo le khoebisano;
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Re tla bulela mafapha ‘ohle ho kenya letsoho ka matla
litabeng tsa ntlafatso ea naha; ho kenyeletsa basali ka
mekhatlo ea bona, bacha ka Lekhotla la bona (National
Youth Council), esita le mekhatlo e ikemetseng.
Re tla loantša ka matla litlolo tsa molao naheng ena ea
rona haholo-holo bosholu, bobolu le tlhekefetso ea
maqeku, basali le bana;
Re tla hlompha boikemelo ba litšia tse tharo tsa puso e
leng Makhotla a Boahloli (Judiciary), Lekhotla la Ketsa
Melao (Paramente) le Lefapha la Bophethahatsi
(Executive);
Re tla ntlafatsa thuto, haholo ea mahlale le ea matsoho
hore e re tsoalle mesebetsi;
Re tla kenya tšebetsong meralo e ka tsebang ho arabela
phephetso ea maemo a leholimo a fetohileng haholo
morao tjena, e le ka morero oa ho ntlafatsa tlhahiso ea lijo
le ho ntlafatsa mehlape;
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Re tla ntšetsa pele toantšo ea tšoaetso ea lefu la HIV le
AIDS, ‘me re tla etsa kahohle ho fumana mekhoa ea ho
fokotsa sekhahla sa mafu a bo-‘m’e le masea nakong ea
pelehi (Child and Maternal Deaths);
Re tla tšireletsa maqheku, likhutsana, le ba nang le
bokooa, le bohle ba tlokotsing e le ho ba bebofaletsa
mathata a bophelo.
Empa ka holimo ho tsohle, re lokela ho ba seli ho baballa
litokelo tsa mantlha tsa botho le ho tebisa metso ea puso ea
sechaba ka sechaba, khotso le botsitso, hobane kantle ho tsona
ha ho letho leo re ka le fihlelang ka katleho.
Your Majesties
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests,
It is with a deep sense of honour and humility that I stand
before you to accept the responsibility of the high office of
Prime Minister and Head of His Majesty’s Government. At the
very beginning of this five year constitutional term of the new
government, I pledge to execute the onerous responsibilities of
this high office with honesty, transparency and dedication. In
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executing this sacrosanct mandate as Prime Minister of
Lesotho, the wishes and aspirations of my people will always
take precedence over my own.
On behalf of the government and people of Lesotho, and
indeed, on my own behalf, I wish to express our profound
gratitude to all of you, my country men and our guests from
other countries, for having made time to grace this occasion
with your presence.
We are deeply indebted to our development partners,
International organizations, non-governmental organizations,
the Christian Council of Lesotho, our security agencies and the
media for the valuable contribution which they made in various
ways to facilitate successful holding of the general election that
we have just gone through.
I wish to single out for special commendation, the Independent
Electoral Commission and its staff, for their dedication and the
exemplary manner in which they applied themselves in the
preparations preceding the elections and during the conduct of
the election itself.
It would be remiss of me not to pay a deserving tribute to the
entire nation of Basotho, for the patience and maturity with
which they went through the elections.
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Your Majesties
Excellencies
Distinguished guests,
We have had elections that have been declared by the local and
International observers as free, fair and transparent. We are
not unaware of the elaborate and hard work that has been
done by the Election Observers over the past days and weeks.
For that we are indeed grateful.
The election that we have just gone through is a powerful voice
through which the people of Lesotho have elected a
government of their choice. Today’s occasion is, therefore, a
reflection of the will of the people of Lesotho. The
electioneering time is now behind us. The dust of the election
campaigns must now settle. The people have spoken through
the ballot box. It is now time for us to put shoulder to the
wheel and join hands to develop our beloved country for the
betterment of every Mosotho man, woman and child in our
towns and villages.
The real winner of this election is no other than the people of
Lesotho themselves. Their will takes precedence over our
personal wishes. Let us get on with the business of governing
and of developing our country for the benefit of our people and
the future generations.
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On this occasion, I extend an invitation to all political leaders in
Lesotho and the nation as a whole, to put aside political
differences that were manifested in the heat of the election
campaigns, and to join hands to respond to the challenges that
face us as a nation.
We, the people of Lesotho, are fortunate that we are a
homogeneous nation that speaks one language, that practises a
common culture and that is united by kinship. We are
untouched by the sentiments of tribalism or religious schisms.
It would be folly to allow ourselves to be divided by the
differences of our political opinions.
As we start this long journey of governance over the coming
five years, I stand before God, His Majesty, church leaders,
chiefs, leaders and followers of political parties, and the nation
as a whole, to pledge my commitment to serve this nation
faithfully, with dedication and transparency. I will endeavour to
undertake the widest consultations on issues of importance to
the nation while at the same time doing all in my power to
eradicate the scourge of corruption in the conduct of public
affairs.
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Your Excellencies
Distinguished guests,
I need not remind anyone that over the past half century since
Lesotho attained political independence, our country has gone
through successive periods of turbulence and agony in the
political sphere. Our people have worked very hard to have
the rule of law, peace and stability that we enjoy today. We
must build on the achievements that we have already made to
further consolidate peace and stability in our country and to
deepen the roots of democracy and good governance.
Our elections in 2002 ushered in a new era of political
accommodation and inclusiveness, which was embodied in the
new electoral model that we adopted. That model contributed
significantly to the advancement of peace and stability in
Lesotho. We have continued to improve on that model and to
remove some of its shortcomings. The current electoral
legislation has, once again, modified and improved in various
ways on the electoral model that we use in Lesotho. It has, in
particular, also introduced a system that guarantees increased
representation of women in parliament.
Through our collective effort we have succeeded in taking our
country to higher level of political maturity. In effect, we have
transformed the nature of politics in our country. We must
build on this success to transform our country’s economic
situation. The challenges that confront us as a nation today
are many and varied. While we may define them in different
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political dialects, in reality, the challenges that confront us as
we begin the 8 th Parliament of His Majesty’s government, are
the same and common to all of us. They include;
Poverty eradication, shared economic growth and
employment creation;
Building of effective governance institutions in the public
and private sectors;
Infrastructure development for facilitation of trade and
access to services;
Investment in the education of our people and
transformation of skills development, particularly among
youth and women;
Increasing access to improved health facilities in order to
reduce maternal and child mortality, as well as
vulnerability to pandemics such as HIV and AIDS;
Improvement of agriculture, food security and
preparedness for natural disasters, particularly in the wake
of the consequences of climate change;
Combating of environmental degradation;
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Increasing the access of women and youth to resources in
order to facilitate their involvement in development
activities;
Effective and efficient dispensation of justice,
Escalation of the fight against corruption, all forms of
crime, including violent crime, robberies, and stock theft;
and
Provision of efficient delivery of public services.
In addressing these challenges, the consolidation of peace and
deepening of the roots of democracy and good governance
must remain our top priority because without peace and good
governance, there can be no development.
Mohlomphehi Motsamaisi oa tšebeletso,
Ke lakatsa ho qetella puo ea ka ka ho mema Basotho bohle, ka
bo-mong le ka lihlopha tsohle tsa bona, hore joaloka ha
mothehi oa sechaba sa rona Morena Moshoeshoe oa Pele, a re
rutile, re beng ngatana-‘ngoe, re tšoaraneng ka matsoho joalo
ka bana ba thari ho pholosa naha ea rona litleneng tsa bofuma
le ho hloka botsitso. Re ke re beng le sepheo se le seng, e leng
ho fumanela naha ea rona kholiso ea moruo, tsoelopele le
boiketlo ba sechaba.
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Molimo a ke a boloke Batlotlehi, Molimo a ke a boloke Lesotho
le Basotho.
Khotso, Pula Nala.
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