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SUMMARY OF EVENTS IN LESOTHO Volume 3, Number 1 (First Quarter 1996) |
|
Summary of events in Lesotho is a quarterly publication compiled and published by David Ambrose since 1993 at the National University of Lesotho, P. O. Roma 180, Lesotho. |
|
|
|
SUMMARY OF EVENTS IN LESOTHO Volume 3, Number 1 (First Quarter 1996) |
|
Summary of events in Lesotho is a quarterly publication compiled and published by David Ambrose since 1993 at the National University of Lesotho, P. O. Roma 180, Lesotho. |
|
Education
Bill
Education Bill
The
Education
Bill
which
had
provoked
particular
hostility
to
Government
from
the
Catholic
Church
had
by
the
New
Year
been
passed
by
both
houses
of
Parliament
and
awaited
the
royal
assent.
Although
this
is
a
mere
constitutional
formality,
the
Church
mounted
a
major
demonstration
outside
the
palace
gates
in
Maseru
on
Friday
12th
January.
His
Majesty
in
a
message
to
the
demonstrators
asked
them
to
act
peacefully.
Death of King Moshoeshoe IIAbout midday on Monday 15th January the nation was shocked to hear through South African radio sources that His Majesty the King had died in a road accident. Radio Lesotho began to play hymns from midday without explanation. The news of the King’s death was confirmed by the Prime Minister in an announcement over Radio Lesotho at 4 p. m. It appears that the King had expressed the desire to visit his cattle which in summer are kept at cattle posts in different parts of the Maloti administered by the Matsieng Ward. Cattle are driven out to pasture from these cattle posts early in the morning, the King himself as a child having helped to herd cattle. One particularly well known royal cattle post is in the Mantšonyane area, and in order to reach it at daybreak, the King left his home at Matsieng about 1 a. m. At about 4 a. m., it appears that his Toyota 4 by 4 left the road shortly after making a left turn on the ascent to Cheche’s Pass about 5 km beyond the Senqunyane Bridge on the Mountain Road. The vehicle plunged several hundred metres down a steep slope, coming to rest in the gorge nearly opposite the village of Ha Noha. The front escort vehicle had had some problems shortly before, and the King’s vehicle had overtaken it. As a result neither escort vehicle saw what happened and some time was spent locating the missing vehicle, although people descending from the Cheche’s Pass reported having seen a vehicle leaving the road. His Majesty apparently died almost instantly with a 13 cm gash in the skull and multiple injuries. His driver, Tseko Moshe, who was thought by many (see report in Moafrika of 26 January 1996) to have been driving while too tired to concentrate, died shortly afterwards. Of two security personnel travelling with the King, and apparently in the back seat, one was seriously injured and the other escaped with bruises. Once news of what had happened became known, the King’s body, which had been taken by police vehicle to Mantšonyane Hospital, was transferred by helicopter to Maseru. It was later transferred from the mortuary at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital to Bloemfontein again by helicopter for embalming. Arrangements were made for a period of state mourning and a week of memorial events, which included an Interdenominational Service at the Setsoto Stadium on Tuesday 23rd January, and a Catholic Mass at the Stadium on the arrival of his body back from Bloemfontein on Wednesday 24th January. This was followed by Lying in State on Thursday 25th January at the Palace in Maseru, and a wake at Matsieng the following night. The State Funeral on Friday 26th January was held at the foot of Thaba-Bosiu Mountain. It was attended by a large number of visiting dignitaries including Heads of State of four neighbouring countries, President Sir Ketumile Masire of Botswana, President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia and President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Former President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia was also present. They proceeded to Thaba-Bosiu in a convoy of cars from Moshoeshoe I Airport for the religious service and funeral ceremony which began in wet weather at 10 30 a. m., making use of a podium which had been installed (but not used) for the Pope’s ill-starred visit to Lesotho in 1988. Speeches were given in both English and Sesotho, with summaries provided in both cases by the Master of Ceremonies, Kenneth Tsekoa. Amongst those who spoke to express sympathy to the nation and the family were Chief Lekunutu ’Mota of Qwaqwa, on behalf of Basotho (including descendants of the Royal House) in South Africa; President Masire, on behalf of neighbouring states; and Chief Emeke Anyaoku, Commonwealth Secretary-General, on behalf of the Commonwealth. The reply on behalf of the Royal Family was given by the King’s brother and Principal Chief of Mokhotlong, Chief Mathealira Seeiso. The ceremony and speeches lasted until shortly after 2 p. m. There had been no similar funeral at Thaba-Bosiu since that of former Paramount Chieftainess Regent ’Mantšebo, who was buried on top of the mountain in 1964. Her burial had accorded with the century-old tradition that the Principal and Paramount Chiefs of the Nation should be buried on top of the mountain. Of the Paramount Chiefs and Kings, the only exception since King Moshoeshoe I had been Paramount Chief Griffith who became a Catholic and was buried at the Catholic Mission at Matsieng. Normally the coffin is borne by pallbearers to the top of Thaba-Bosiu accompanied by a bodyguard of horseman. On this occasion, because of the very wet weather, both the coffin and dignitaries were conveyed to the top of the mountain by helicopter, while the bodyguard of horsemen in black and scarlet blankets wound up the zigzag trail to the summit separately, accompanied by many thousands of people. Amongst them, the King’s own horse was led to the place of interment, riderless and with a Basotho hat placed across the saddle representing the King, who had been an enthusiastic horseman and race horse owner. Horses and helicopters do not mix well and it was with difficulty that riders on the summit could control their mounts when disturbed by the loud noise of the three helicopters (two from the Air Wing of the Lesotho Defence Force, and one from South Africa). King Moshoeshoe II was laid to rest in a downpour of rain close to the grave of the founder of the nation, King Moshoeshoe I. Nelson Mandela, alone of the visiting Heads of State, was present at the interment. As the mourners dispersed, the traditional washing of hands seemed superfluous as the heavens opened, and the cliffs of Thaba-Bosiu were wreathed in waterfalls on all sides.
It
was
the
largest
gathering
of
horsemen
in
Lesotho
for
many
decades,
but
not
all
horses
managed
to
reach
home.
For
several
days
after
the
funeral
groups
of
people
were
seen
beside
roads
leading
from
Thaba-Bosiu,
cooking
horsemeat
from
animals
which
had
not
been
able
to
make
the
full
return
journey. Education Act in the Aftermath of the King’s DeathAlthough Lesotho was in mourning during the period between the death and funeral of King Moshoeshoe II, the newspaper Moeletsi oa Basotho continued to give front page coverage to the dispute between the Church and the Government over the new Education Act. Under the front page headline ‘Hona hase Molao — ke Phoso’ (‘This is not a Law — it’s a Mistake’) the newspaper castigated the Government and in particular the Minister of Education, Tšeliso Makhakhe, for sponsoring a law depriving churches of their educational freedom, and for announcing on the day after the death of the King that the King had already before his death signed the Education Bill making it Law. The newspaper also found it strange that the signing of this particular law was being announced over the radio when the Royal Assent to other laws was not announced in this way.
Matters
were
made
worse
by
the
text
of
the
Education
Act
1995.
It
was
printed
in
an
issue
of
the
Lesotho
Government
Gazette
which
stated
that
it
was
published
29th
December
1995,
with
the
text
of
the
Act
stating
that
it
became
law
on
publication
in
the
Gazette.
This
later
had
to
be
retracted
in
a
Gazette
of
31st
January
1996,
which
stated
that
the
Gazette
should
have
been
dated
17th
January.
The
same
issue
added
four
pages
of
text
which
had
been
left
out
of
the
previously
published
Act,
and
a
Gazette
of
5th
February
1996
published
the
Explanatory
Memorandum
to
the
Education
Bill,
something
which
should
properly
have
been
done
when
the
Bill
was
introduced
into
Parliament,
not
after
it
had
been
made
law.
New Chief Executive for the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority
The
position
of
Chief
Executive
of
the
Lesotho
Highlands
Development
Authority
had
for
well
over
a
year
been
clouded
with
uncertainty.
The
former
Chief
Executive,
Masupha
Sole,
had
been
suspended
from
office,
and
after
a
management
audit
called
for
by
the
Joint
project
technical
Commission,
had
not
been
reinstated.
He
was
eventually
provided
with
an
early
retirement
package.
On
1st
February,
a
new
Chief
Executive
was
introduced
to
the
LHDA
by
the
Minister
of
Natural
Resources.
He
was
’Makase
Marumo,
an
experienced
highways
engineer,
who
had
at
one
time
been
Principal
Secretary
for
Works,
and
in
recent
years
had
worked
for
the
African
Development
Bank
in
Abidjan,
Côte
d’Ivoire.
Taxi LawlessnessThe owners and drivers of minibus taxis had for a long time regarded themselves as exempt from laws governing others, generally stopping to pick up and set down passengers wherever they liked throughout central Maseru, blocking at least one lane of traffic, and elsewhere overtaking on the hard shoulder of the road scattering pedestrians. Numerous serious accidents had occurred in recent years involving the taxis, some of them involving ten or more deaths of passengers in a single accident in which an overloaded taxi was travelling at high speed. Such accidents had occurred within the past two months at Teyateyaneng near St. Agnes where some 14 people were killed, and at Moroeroe just east of Butha-Buthe on 1 February 1996 where 12 people died. Further examples of taxi lawlessness had occurred in 1995 when there had been a major demonstration protesting against the Extradition Treaty about to be signed with South Africa. Maseru had been brought to a halt, because those driving stolen taxis thought they might be extradited to South Africa, from where the taxis had been stolen. Early in 1996, new trouble broke out. Taxi drivers protested at the new fares which were to be implemented with effect from 1st January. They were apparently angry that bus owners, whose fares are marginally less than taxi fares, had not implemented the rises, and were taking away their passengers. Access to Maseru was blocked at Lekhaloaneng on Monday 22nd January, and bus passengers were forced out by taxi drivers and conductors armed with sticks and knives. Many people ended up walking to work. Armed police stood by, and apparently did not intervene, even when passengers were abused by taxi drivers and conductors. A sequel to the event was a high speed chase, leading to a taxi overturning at Ha Makhoathi. As a result, a taxi conductor was killed and several other taxi employees were injured. One report said that the accident followed a police chase; but the police newspaper, Leseli ka Sepolesa (13 February 1996) said that it was as a result of a disagreement between taxi drivers, which resulted in one taxi chasing another.
A
further
showdown
occurred
in
the
following
week.
Taxi
drivers,
harassing
any
motorists
they
encountered
en
route,
gathered
for
a
meeting
at
Boinyatso
on
Thursday
8th
February.
This
was
to
protest
over
the
buses
run
by
the
police,
which
provide
a
parallel
and
cheaper
public
service
on
some
routes.
On
Friday
morning
there
was
no
minibus
taxi
service,
but
police
and
army
buses,
some
ten
in
all,
provided
a
public
service,
escorted
by
armed
police
in
cars,
and
with
helicopters
overhead.
The
taxi
owners,
perhaps
alarmed
by
their
loss
of
revenue,
reinstated
normal
services
on
the
Friday
afternoon.
Senior Government Finance Officials Convicted of Embezzlement
Judgment
was
finally
passed
early
in
February
in
the
fraud
case
in
which
the
Accountant-General
and
Deputy
Accountant-General
together
with
the
Chief
Engineer
in
the
Ministry
of
Home
Affairs
were
jointly
accused
of
embezzling
M2
million
of
Government
funds,
which
had
been
laundered
through
a
bank
in
Ladybrand.
All
three
were
found
guilty,
and
were
given
effective
30
year
prison
sentences
together
with
large
fines
(M250
000
or
an
additional
seven
years
in
the
case
of
the
Accountant-General,
D.
P.
Matebesi,
and
his
Deputy,
M.
P.
Mokotoane).
The
accused
were
expected
to
appeal
against
the
High
Court
Judgment
in
the
Court
of
Appeal.
Unrest in Rural AreasIn rural Lesotho, two different kinds of unrest were causing great distress. Internally, population pressure on grazing areas seemed to be resulting in serious disputes between villages, in which one village would attack a neighbouring village and burn its houses. Action between the villagers of Tibeleng and Malimong in Mafeteng in 1995 had led to the Red Cross having to house many refugee villagers in tents. In January 1996, elsewhere in Mafeteng, a dispute between the villagers of Letaeng and Ha Tšupane led to another 113 houses being burnt. In February an apparently quite independent incident in Thaba-Tseka District, south-west of Mantšonyane, resulted in over 100 houses being destroyed in the village of Ha Felete. The perpetrators were said to be the inhabitants of two neighbouring villages, Matomaneng to the north, and Ha Fantisi to the south. All three incidents took place in relatively remote areas far from police stations, which are concentrated in urban areas.
The
second
kind
of
unrest
concerned
Lesotho’s
southern
border.
Since
1994
when
Transkei
was
reabsorbed
into
South
Africa,
there
had
been
cross-border
cattle
looting
incidents.
The
rise
in
these
was
apparently
as
a
result
of
the
collapse
of
the
former
Transkei
police
force.
This
had
been
better
paid
than
the
South
African
Police
and
rebelled
against
reincorporation,
a
rebellion
which
was
quelled
in
a
confrontation
with
the
South
African
Defence
Force
in
Umtata
in
1994.
It
appears
that
subsequently
the
police
were
either
absent
or
inadequately
commanded
in
many
of
the
rural
areas
of
the
former
Transkei,
some
of
which
border
Lesotho.
Over
the
period
1994-6,
cross-border
cattle
raids,
and
harassment
of
Basotho
travelling
into
the
Maluti
District
near
Matatiele
had
resulted
in
a
number
of
deaths
of
Basotho
on
both
sides
of
the
border,
as
well
as
stock
losses
on
both
sides.
A
particularly
serious
incident
occurred
at
the
end
of
January
at
Tabase,
a
police
post
in
the
former
Transkei
close
to
the
eastern
part
of
Quthing
District.
13
young
Basotho
herdsmen
and
herdboys,
who
had
apparently
been
arrested
by
local
police,
were
killed
in
unexplained
circumstances.
Their
bodies
were
taken
from
there
to
Durban,
where
a
team
of
pathologists
from
Lesotho
and
South
Africa
carried
out
post-mortems.
These
indicated
severe
bruising
before
death,
and
bullet
wounds
which
showed
they
had
been
shot
at
close
range.
The
bodies
were
returned
to
Lesotho
on
14th
February,
and
it
was
reported
that
some
police
in
South
Africa
had
been
arrested
as
a
result
of
the
incident.
’Manthabiseng ‘Bus Stop’ Closed
An
event
which
had
been
long
in
coming
was
the
closure
on
13th
February
of
the
’Manthabiseng
‘Bus
Stop’
[Bus
Station]
in
Maseru
which
had
been
established
as
a
temporary
measure
as
a
result
of
the
riots
of
1991,
when
the
old
bus
stop
area
was
closed
following
wholesale
destruction
in
the
immediate
vicinity.
Buses,
taxis
and
shacks
of
all
kinds
had
taken
over
the
old
Agricultural
Showgrounds
Area,
creating
an
insanitary
slum,
but
also
employment
of`new
kinds,
including
the
provision
of
wheelbarrow
‘taxis’,
linking
the
shopping
centre
to
the
temporary
bus
terminal
over
a
kilometre
distant.
However,
the
promised
new
bus
station
on
Moshoeshoe
Road
had
not
yet
materialised
and
although
a
trench
dug
across
the
road
at
’Manthabiseng
prevented
the
old
area
being
used,
some
buses
merely
moved
200
metres
up
the
road
to
a
site
adjoining
the
University’s
Institute
of
Extramural
Studies.
Other
buses,
and
many
of
the
stallholders,
moved
to
the
already
very
congested
roads
in
the
Pitso
Ground
area,
crowding
pavements
with
caravans,
tents
and
cooking
stoves.
This
was
much
to
the
annoyance
of
the
licensed
shopkeepers,
who
had
to
endure
smoking
and
cooking
smells,
as
well
as
the
incessant
shouts
of
touts
trying
to
find
passengers
for
their
various
buses
and
taxis.
The
fact
remained
that
the
City
Council
had
not
yet
made
adequate
provision
for
buses,
and
by
allowing
most
available
sites
conveniently
near
the
city
centre
to
become
business
premises,
it
had
squeezed
out
the
buses
and
severely
disadvantaged
people
without
motor
vehicles.
The
name
’Manthabiseng
which
had
been
attached
to
the
now
dismantled
bus
station
was
the
name
of
the
unfortunate
lady,
’Manthabiseng
Senatsi,
who
when
allegedly
shoplifting,
had
on
20th
May
1991
been
beaten
to
death
by
Basotho
security
guards,
thus
sparking
off
major
riots.
These
had
resulted
in
massive
looting
and
burning
in
several
Lesotho
towns,
while
the
Indian
and
Chinese
communities
became
temporary
refugees
in
neighbouring
Free
State
towns.
The
riots
had
subsequently
had
a
serious
adverse
impact
on
foreign
investment
in
Lesotho.
’Manthabiseng Killers Finally Sentenced in Court
By
coincidence,
and
also
indicating
the
almost
interminable
delays
in
Lesotho’s
judicial
process,
the
trial
of
some
of
those
arrested
for
causing
the
death
of
’Manthabiseng
Senatsi
finally
reached
a
conclusion
early
in
1996,
nearly
five
years
after
the
event.
By
this
time,
one
of
the
accused
had
disappeared
and
forfeited
bail.
Two
men
and
a
woman
from
the
shop
where
’Manthabiseng
was
beaten
to
death
were
found
guilty
of
assault
with
intent
to
cause
grievous
bodily
harm
and
on
28th
February
were
given
prison
sentences,
but
with
the
alternative
of
paying
fines.
Coup Attempt Ends in FarceLeap Year traditionally provides certain liberties, but what occurred on 29th February in Lesotho was quite unexpected. Those who tuned in to the 1 p. m. Sesotho news on Radio Lesotho were startled to hear the news bulletin being interrupted by a male voice saying Ke na le molaetsa o potlakileng (‘I have an urgent message’). The voice then introduced himself Ke ’na Bolofo (‘I am Bolofo’), following which he went through the customary and lengthy procedure in formal addresses of paying respects to each and every high office bearer in the land. There was then a whisper from someone else Ke u thusa ho bala? (‘Shall I help you to read?’). This was followed sotto voce by È-è, re kena pina ea sechaba pele (‘No, put on the National Anthem first’). There followed the playing of the National Anthem following which Bolofo announced that the Lesotho Parliament had been dissolved and the Constitution suspended (although by whom was not stated). In justification it was said that the Members of Parliament had taken to buying guns instead of paying teachers more, and had prevented the police from investigating the King’s death. Details which later emerged were that Bolofo was one Matsoso Bolofo, a former member of the Lesotho Defence Force who was now a security officer employed by Lesotho Bank. He was on a week’s leave from his job, and had entered the Radio Lesotho studios without difficulty, because people thought he was visiting his wife, who was employed there as a dispatch clerk. Associated with Bolofo were Lelingoana Monyane Jonathan, a driver and former body guard to the leader of the BNP, E. R. Sekhonyana; and Ntente Sesioane, Deputy Leader of the United Party.
The
Ministry
of
Information
complex
had,
since
the
Military
Coup
of
1986,
been
guarded
by
a
group
of
soldiers,
who
as
time
passed
became
more
interested
in
playing
incessant
games
of
morabaraba
than
monitoring
visitors.
Thus
Bolofo
and
his
companions
had
little
difficulty
in
passing
them.
However,
the
small
guard
house
did
have
a
radio
tuned
to
Radio
Lesotho,
providing
background
entertainment.
Apparently
no-one
was
listening
to
it
very
attentively,
but
it
gradually
dawned
that
there
was
some
unexpected
variation
in
the
otherwise
routine
fare.
Games
and
siestas
were
interrupted,
the
nature
of
what
was
happening
impacted,
and
some
ten
minutes
after
the
trio
had
entered
the
studio
they
were
arrested,
disarmed
by
the
soldiers
and
handed
over
to
the
police.
It
was
then
necessary
for
the
Minister
of
Information,
Lira
Motete,
to
come
to
Radio
Lesotho
and
to
make
a
statement
that
the
Government
had
not,
after
all,
fallen,
and
that
the
aspirant
coup
makers
were
in
custody.
Annual Conference of the BCPThe Annual Conference of the ruling Basutoland Congress Party had been postponed twice because of internal dissension and the death of the King. It was finally held at the Cooperative College Hall in Maseru on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th March. Delegates to this Conference are elected by a complex indirect electoral system, which begins at village level, and continues through branches of the party corresponding closely to polling station areas. Delegates from branches and villages in the ratio 10 : 1 attend the Constituency Conferences, and these elect delegates to the national Annual General Meeting (Party Conference) at a rate of 1 for every 500 branch members. Because more polling station areas are needed to serve the geographically larger mountain constituencies, they tend to have more representation at the AGM. In total in 1996, there were 1221 delegates to the Annual Conference varying from 11 to 30 delegates per constituency and including some 200 delegates from party branches in South Africa. The number of party members stood at 198 680, but members who were non-delegates could only attend the Annual Conference as observers. Because of internal dissension between the two main factions of the party, the Majelathoko (also described as ‘ruffian conservatives’ by the English language press) and the Maporesha (‘pressure group’), it was expected that the Conference would be a difficult one. These expectations were realised, although the party did manage to avoid a split into two separate parties, as had occurred in recent months in the rival Basotho National Party. Ominous signs of trouble began on the Friday evening when members of Shakhane Mokhehle’s faction, the Majelathoko, seized control of the gates at the Cooperative College during preliminary registration. On the Saturday, the Conference was opened by the Leader of the party at about 11 30, and after an hour he announced that because of his health he would be handing over to the Deputy Leader, Molapo Qhobela. At this point it appears that those controlling the gates had not allowed observers (non-delegate members of the party) into the courtyard of the College. The DPM intervened after lunch and said that they should follow him when he entered, which they did, although this led in turn to a tense situation in the grounds. Only delegates were allowed into the meeting in the hall of the college, and the meeting proceeded with the Minutes of the last Conference (held at the end of 1994) being read and discussed. This should have been followed on the Agenda by a Report on the Constituencies and Provinces, but it was moved and adopted that this be not read. The Secretary-General, G. M. Kolisang, then began to read his Annual Report, as required by the Party Constitution. He reached page 27 of its 40 pages when the National Security Service and Police intervened with a message that for security reasons the meeting should adjourn, and it did so at 6 p. m. rather than the planned time of 6 30 p. m. The following morning, security staff of the party discovered that by 5 30 a. m., the hall had already been occupied by people mingling with delegates, and indeed the whole premises had been taken over. The Party Executive then met in the party offices and consulted at length with the police and security services on what action should be taken. They resolved that the hall should be cleared, but were surprised to discover that in the meantime the Party Leader, the Prime Minister, had himself gone to the hall at about 10 30 a. m. Those present respected the Leader’s request that the hall should be cleared of non-delegates. When the Conference resumed, it was moved and agreed that the remaining 13 pages of the General Secretary’s Report and the Treasurer’s Report should be set aside. It was observed, however, by many that this was irregular, because it was mandatory that these reports should be presented to the AGM. The Conference then continued to the annual elections for party office-bearers, for many delegates the crucial matter on the Agenda. Exempted from such an election was the Leader of the Party himself, who had been elected for a five-year period, and would only be due to face re-election in a year’s time. The results of the elections were a victory for the Shakhane faction at the expense of the Pressure Group faction, which contains many of the party’s intellectuals. The key post of Secretary-General was won back by a small margin by Shakhane Mokhehle, who at the previous Conference had lost the same post to G. M. Kolisang. Monyane Moleleki, who had fled Lesotho and vacated his cabinet post during troubles with the army, was elected Deputy Secretary-General. The post of Deputy Leader of the party was won by the Deputy Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili, who by 554 votes to 534 unseated his fellow cabinet member, Molapo Qhobela. The Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Lira Motete, took over as party treasurer; and Thebe Motebang, an MP who was formerly a member of the Lesotho Liberation Army, unseated the Minister of Education, Tšeliso Makhakhe, as Party Chairman. Even the editorship of the party newspaper, Makatolle, changed hands. The Minister of Agriculture, Mopshatla Mabitle, displaced the veteran journalist and politician, Mohaila Mohale. Mohale, born in 1924 and a Second World War veteran, had begun his career on Johannesburg newspapers as long ago as 1949. In his political career, he had represented the Pela-Tšoeu constituency in the 1960s, being reelected there when parliamentary democracy was restored in 1993. He had been appointed editor of Makatolle when it was revived in August 1992, some 22 years after it had been banned following the destruction of democratic government in the 1970 coup. The turbulent nature of the Conference led to certain delegates feeling that the electoral process had been unprocedural. On the following Thursday, 14th March, an application by delegates from three constituencies to the High Court succeeded in halting the transfer of power to the new Executive, pending a hearing set down for the 29th March at which a judgment would be given into the legality of the election procedure.
Meanwhile,
the
BCP
as
a
whole
was
being
attacked
from
another
quarter.
The
resettlement
of
members
of
its
Lesotho
Liberation
Army
had
proved
a
difficult
task
given
that
the
BNP
dominated
police
force,
army
and
prison
service
would
not
accept
former
LLA
members
into
their
ranks.
Many
remained
unemployed
and
highly
dissatisfied
with
their
situation.
Radio
Lesotho
was
not
prepared
to
give
them
an
opportunity
to
air
their
grievances,
and
Radio
Sesotho,
the
South
African
Sesotho
service,
provided
them
with
this
opportunity.
Over
several
days,
increasingly
desperate
voices
urged
the
Government
to
meet
their
needs,
otherwise
action
might
have
to
be
taken
by
them.
Problems of Selecting a New Vice-Chancellor for the National University of LesothoThe National University of Lesotho seemed in 1996 likely to provide local headlines as a drama began to unfold regarding the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor. Some people began to predict that disruption was likely to be no less serious than in the much publicised Makgoba case which had recently caused serious problems at Wits University in South Africa. The outgoing VC of NUL was Professor Adamu Baikie, a Nigerian, whose appointment had been personally advocated by the late King Moshoeshoe II, then Chancellor of the University. Baikie had served eight years in the VC’s post, and his contract had not been renewed in December 1995. Although appointed in good time to find a successor, the joint selection committee of Council and Senate had not by December 1995 found a successor, and staff had been asked to suggest the names of persons who could be ‘head-hunted’. By February, readvertisement, and the process of nomination had yielded six applications, and four nominees. The Selection Committee. when it met of February 23rd, chose a short list of persons, all expatriates. All Basotho (according to a later press release) had been eliminated by the ‘objective selection mechanism’. Of three Basotho nominees (the fourth nominee was an expatriate), one had declined to run for the position, and two others had declined to supply information requested.
Early
in
March,
the
President
of
the
Lesotho
University
Teachers’
and
Researchers’
Union
(LUTARU)
appeared
on
television,
and
LUTARU
held
a
press
conference
accusing
the
Selection
Committee
of
overlooking
Basotho
academics,
and
using
selection
criteria
which
did
not
appear
in
the
advertisement
for
the
post.
The
members
of
LUTARU
let
it
be
known
that
they
would
harass
any
expatriates
invited
for
interview,
and
having
obtained
their
names,
they
wrote
to
them
individually
indicating
that
they
would
not
be
made
welcome
at
the
University.
The
issuing
of
a
press
statements
to
the
media
by
both
the
University
Council
and
LUTARU
did
nothing
to
defuse
the
situation,
nor
did
an
attempted
reconciliation
meeting
between
LUTARU
members
and
the
Selection
Committee
held
on
Thursday
20th
March.
New Newspapers
Two
new
Sesotho
newspapers
appeared
in
March,
adding
to
the
papers
Makatolle
of
the
BCP
and
Mohlanka
of
the
BNP,
which
had
been
revived
during
1995.
The
MFP
had
failed
to
pay
bills
to
the
printers
of
its
papers,
and
had
long
been
without
a
voice
in
the
press.
However,
in
March
1996
it
came
out
with
a
weekly
Masututsane.
The
second
new
paper
was
a
fortnightly,
Khakhaulane
edited
by
Mthwalo
Mthwalo
on
behalf
of
the
BCP
Youth
League.
Parliament
Parliament
finally
embarked
on
its
Second
Session
on
29th
March,
with
the
King
delivering
the
Speech
from
the
Throne
setting
out
policy.
The
Speech
was
printed
in
full
in
English
in
Mohlanka
of
6
April
1996.
Amongst
matters
referred
to
were
the
National
Dialogue
of
September
1995,
and
a
February
1996
Workshop
on
the
Role
of
the
Lesotho
Defence
Force,
attended
by
members
of
the
LDF,
and
also
Colonel
James
Smaugh
of
the
United
States
Army
and
Mr.
Laurie
Nathan
of
the
Centre
for
Intergroup
Studies
in
South
Africa.
The
review
of
the
economy
noted
that
Lesotho
was
entering
the
Sixth
National
Development
Plan
period,
and
that
unlike
previous
plans
the
new
plan
would
be
for
three
years
only,
1996/7-1998/9.
References
were
made
to
policies
in
each
sector
including
the
strengthening
of
the
Ministry
of
Local
Government. Donor Conference
A
Donor
Conference
was
held
in
Maseru
on
26th-27th
March.
A
total
of
M770
million
was
pledged
as
assistance
to
Lesotho
for
a
period
covering
the
next
five
financial
years.
Commission of Inquiry into Death of King
Almost
without
exception,
the
nation
had
accepted
that
the
King’s
death
in
January
had
been
accidental,
although
Bolofo,
who
had
taken
over
Radio
Lesotho
for
a
short
time
on
29th
February
in
a
desperate
coup
attempt,
had
in
his
broadcast
accused
the
Government
of
not
allowing
a
proper
inquiry
to
take
place.
Whether
in
response
to
this
or
some
more
general
discontent,
the
Government
belatedly
did
set
up
a
Commission
of
Inquiry
early
in
March
headed
by
Superintendent
Geoff
Rees
of
Scotland
Yard,
accompanied
by
three
colleagues.
It
was
not
expected
that
a
really
different
version
of
events
would
emerge,
but
it
was
noted
that
certain
details
had
remained
unclear,
such
as
who
first
arrived
at
the
scene
of
the
accident,
what
they
found,
and
what
happened
immediately
afterwards.
The
police
had
not
issued
a
statement
which
included
these
details.
The
Commission
was
required
to
report
by
30th
April. Deaths in Taxi Violence at Qacha’s Nek
As
Easter
approached
more
disturbing
news
came
of
trouble
on
Lesotho’s
border
with
the
former
Transkei
at
Qacha’s
Nek.
Feuding
between
Lesotho
and
South
African
taxis
had
already
made
it
hazardous
to
travel
the
route.
Another
major
fight
broke
out
between
taxi
owners
and
on
this
occasion
three
were
shot
dead
near
the
Qacha’s
Nek
Border
Post.
British Army Training Team Leaves LesothoOn 31 March 1996, the British Army Training Team (BATT) which had been involved in training the Lesotho Defence force uninterruptedly for the previous 15 years finally left Lesotho. An article in Defence News of March/May 1996 by Geoff Wain, the Acting British High Commissioner, mentioned that members of BATT (usually two to three British Army officers) had over the years ‘been involved in almost every aspect of training for the Lesotho Defence Force, from the recent officer commissioning course to basic drill instruction, from weapons training to quartermaster store management.’
The
withdrawal
of
BATT
did
not
mean
the
end
of
Britain’s
involvement
with
the
Lesotho
Defence
Force
or
with
the
Lesotho
Ministry
of
Defence.
Philip
Jones,
Civilian
Adviser
to
the
Ministry
of
Defence,
would
remain
in
post
until
March
1997.
Also
Short
Term
Training
Teams
would
still
be
sent
to
meet
specific
needs.
Moreover
two
members
of
the
Lesotho
Defence
Force,
Officer
Cadets
Stemere
and
Mokaloba,
would
be
sent
to
Sandhurst
Military
Academy
in
the
United
Kingdom
for
a
one
year
course
which
it
was
planned
they
would
complete
in
April
1997.
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