MASERU - The proposed institution of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for Lesotho has been met with great scorn in several public quarters, heavily criticised as a conduit to serve selfish interests of a clique of politicians.
news
Oct. 10, 2019
LAWRENCE KEKETSO
4 min read
‘Basotho spurn TRC institution’
Mothejoa Metsing
Although there has not been any official announcement or gazettement of the mulled TRC by government, talk is rife amongst the citizens and the political leadership on both the benefit and timing of the commission.
Theories are already being bandied of the establishment of the truth commission before the end of the year should a deal brokered by Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and opposition Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) leader, Mothejoa Metsing, materialise – a pact meant to rescue from collapse the current coalition government facing a motion of no confidence when parliament reconvenes this month.
These developments are a result of a lengthy drive by Mr Metsing and opposition stalwarts since the formation of the Thabane-led administration in 2017, in which he (Mr Metsing) sought for the establishment of the TRC and the formation of a Government of National Unity - proposals Thabane and his government had rebuffed. In Mr Metsing’s ideal formation, this scenario is meant to also facilitate the release of former army chief, Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli, and other security officers from detention.
Mr Metsing’s call seeks the collapsing of all cases against the soldiers and other elements of the past Pakalitha Mosisili administration, in order to give them a chance to appear before the commission and give their stories, and/or ask to be pardoned. Several other high-profile court cases presently being prosecuted in the High Court of Lesotho are expected to remain in hiatus, or fall off completely from the roll “if the commission’s path was to bring desired results.”
For many, a truth commission would just be another resource-wasting exercise at the expense of critical service delivery and national programmes’ execution inadequacies; diminishing efforts to create jobs and wealth for the many unemployed Basotho. Detractors argue the move would only translate into another attempt to remove focus from wrongdoers and derail the course of justice, especially prominent opposition politicians and other senior security officers from the past regime.
“Yes! There may be cases in court construed to have been politically motivated, but most of those implicating these politicians and security officers are purely criminal and have got nothing to do with politics,” a political observer in one local radio stations said this week. The argument here mostly hinged on the fact that no political motive can be substantiated in the crimes in question.
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“What could have been the politics behind the killing and throwing of the bodies of three young men into the Mohale Dam? That was pure criminal,” another view from a different station questioned. Government has also been accused of jumping into bed with the LCD, carrying its myriad of conditions simply to self-preserve, leaving the nation in doubt on the finalisation of the ongoing reforms process as it shifts focus to the TRC.
“We strongly believed once we were done with the reforms, then we would move to other matters and institutions that require reform. At least this is what government told us in the opposition when we asked,” opposition Democratic Congress (DC) deputy leader Motlalentoa Letsosa is on record saying in the local media recently.
Mr Letsosa argued it would be counter-productive for the country to be in grapples with the reforms process on one side while addressing the institution of a TRC on the other. “Why can’t national laws and state institutions be strengthened before we can go into important processes such as national healing?” he asked.
Another opposition politician, Advocate Lekhetho Rakuoane of the Popular Front for Democracy (PFD), is also of the opinion that establishing the TRC at this juncture is imprudent. “People should understand, we are not downplaying the importance of a truth commission. But is this the right time for it, have we prepared enough to hold and make it a success?” he asked.
Adv Rakuoane contended the whole concept of a truth commission for Basotho should be well researched and prepared for, “so that as a nation we can have a real closure if that is what it is being established for”. For political leaders across the political divide, government’s capitulation to Mr Metsing’s demands is a clear sign of desperation as the ruling quartet seeks to accumulate numbers in parliament to quell an imminent vote of no confidence on Thabane and his administration.
Government has twice already lost a parliamentary vote with many of the ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC) parliamentarians voting with opposition in protest of Mr Thabane’s handling of internal matters in the party he leads. The subject motion of no confidence has been initiated by an ABC Member of Parliament for Koro-Koro, , and seconded by Mr Letsosa.
At party level, Mr Thabane’s leadership has been questioned and challenged by a party faction that eventually declared his suspension from leadership and party activities. The strength of both the suspension and eventual expulsion remains to be seen with the final handing down of judgements in related court cases in the High Court of Lesotho.
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