Day: October 19, 2017

LESOTHO: POLITICS/RL/19/10/17 SABANews 1

MASERU – LESOTHO has come up with 16 and 17 NOVEMBER as the dates for a planned multi-stakeholder national dialogue, aimed to help bring lasting peace to the mountain Kingdom.

RADIO LESOTHO says Acting Prime Minister MONYANE MOLELEKI has announced the decision when he opened a TWO-day-long Post-Elections National Dialogue organised by the LESOTHO COUNCIL OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS.

It says he has told delegates to the gathering at the MANTHABISENG Convention Centre the government has consulted other parties involved and come up with a program, in line with SADC decisions.

Mr MOLELEKI says his country advocates for common values and hopes such as promotion of peace and security, respect for human rights, good governance and the rule of law as enshrined in the Constitution and articulated through the Foreign Policy.

He has commended members of the civil society for their efforts to bring the Kingdom to stability since the military coup attempt of 2014, especially in light of the volatile political situation that followed.

Acting Prime Minister MOLELEKI says civil society, including faith-based organisations, has remained devoted to mediation efforts to bring peace to LESOTHO during these challenging times.

He has further commended the SADC Facilitator to LESOTHO, Vice President CYRIL RAMAPHOSA of SOUTH AFRICA, as well as the Regional Oversight Committee, for selfless efforts to help resolve differences and bring about lasting peace.

Acting Prime Minister MOLELEKI says the determinations are a clear indication of the commitment of SADC to maintain and further strengthen the already existing cooperation between his country and other regional members.

He says the last FOUR years are a period when LESOTHO has been in a political turmoil due to a number of issues, including what he calls floor crossing in Parliament, to the detriment of peace and security.

Acting Prime Minister MOLELEKI says BASOTHO have a common destiny that compels them to work closely to defeat their common enemies like crime, corruption, lack of youth unemployment, HIV and AIDS, as well as poverty and others.

The just ended TWO-day-long Post-Election Dialogue has been meant to discuss events following the 2017 National Assembly Elections, and it involved political parties as well as non-governmental groups from LESOTHO and abroad./Sabanews/cam

LESOTHO: POLITICS/RL/19/10/17 SABANews 1

MASERU – LESOTHO is recovering from a serious military and political discord over the past months, and the government is calling on the citizens of the Kingdom to unite during this period.

Deputy Prime Minister MONYANE MOLELEKI says the opening of Parliament next FRIDAY is a vital moment, when the nation will launch the process to implement decisions of the SADC Regional leadership.

RADIO LESOTHO says Deputy Prime Minister MOLELEKI has addressed the Kingdom, saying the government has so far taken the actions it can afford on its own.

He says serious and genuine investigations are underway into the deaths of Lieutenant General MAAPARANKOE MAHAO, the Former Army Commander shot dead by soldiers in his village home on 25 JUNE 2015.

Deputy Prime Minister MOLELEKI says police are investigating, arresting and bringing before the courts of law all the members of the security forces implicated in the criminal activities.

His comments come amid reports saying the law-enforcement agents have picked up former Defence Force Commander Lieutenant General TLALI KAMOLI on an array of charges, including murder.

General KAMOLI is to answers many questions about the instability in the Kingdom, including the 2014 coup attempt and the killing of former Army boss MAAPARANKOE MAHAO and the Army Commander KHOANTLE MOTSOMOTSO.

Deputy Prime Minister MOLELEKI says BASOTHO will unite and face the challenges in order to write a new chapter for the nation together; and he calls on others out of the country for political reasons to come and freely take part in all the areas of the reform process.

He says the government has decided to take all actions necessary to ensure the safe, comfortable and respectful return to LESOTHO of MATHIBELI MOKHOTHU, MOTHEJOA METSING and TS’ELISO MOKHOSI.

The LESOTHO Deputy Prime Minister says a THREE-member delegation led by THESELE MASERIBANE assisted by the High Commissioner to SOUTH AFRICA, RALECHATE ‘MOKOSE, will meet the THREE men to discuss their return home./Sabanews/cam