MASERU - Lesotho Economic Freedom Fighters (LEFF) has condemned American (US) president, Donald Trump, for ‘imperialist and extractive practices’ intended to ‘subjugate’ Lesotho.

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In a fiery press statement, which was released this week, the LFF fired on all cylinders, describing the Trump administration’s 50 percent tariff hikes on products from the country as a deliberate distortion of reality on a ‘country nobody has ever heard of.’

“We are quite shocked that the US, with its entrenched control over the global economy and key manufacturing industries, a dominance achieved through centuries of colonial exploitation and deliberate underdevelopment of other nations, will one day go after the ‘African nation of Lesotho, which nobody has ever heard of’,” the LEFF states.

The party indicates further that truth of the matter is that US tariffs will affect businesses and impact families and communities that have built their livelihoods through hard work.

“With all the darkness and uncertainty out there, the Lesotho Economic Freedom Fighters calls on the current government not to follow in the footsteps of the previous corrupt, sell-out leaders who brought Lesotho into shame for many years by negotiating with their stomachs for personal accumulation at the expense of our sovereignty.”

LEFF charges that Lesotho gets ridiculed and disrespected because of leaders who negotiate international relations matters like beggars.

“We mustn’t kiss anyone’s butt or engage in retaliatory tariff wars that will entangle our economy and sovereignty deeper into America's economic manipulation. We should expand our trade relations with global partners who believe in our values and respect our people and products.

Furthermore, these “reciprocal tariffs” signal the effective end of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as it pertains to Lesotho. This is a wake-up call for Basotho to stand together, support our own businesses, support African trade, and invest in Lesotho businesses while continuing to buy and sell more Lesotho products.”

LEFF find this as a silver lining to the SADC region and African unity.

The organization further castigated Prime Minister Ntsokoane Matekane’s administration for granting an operating license to billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink.

Last week the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) approved Starlink’s 10-year operating license against opposition from different stakeholders, including Vodacom Lesotho and the Advocates for the Supremacy of the Constitution, popularly known as SECTION 2.

Thus “granting racist economic hitman Elon Musk a 10-year operating license. The decision is exactly what happens when a leader negotiates serious matters under desperation, with money in mind to enrich themselves, their families, and their friends. Selling out our data sovereignty and privacy to Starlink is one good reason why Africa never unites and develops because, due to a lack of privacy, we keep our enemies one step ahead in everything we plan to achieve as a continent.”

“The government must not fool us with Donald Trump and his friend who never knew a country named Lesotho. Basotho needs explanation and clarity on this deal that is going to cause more damage than good. This is the same economic hitman Elon Musk who’s working tirelessly with his buddy Donald Trump, taking advantage of the Ukrainians and threatening to cut Ukraine's access to Starlink internet service over minerals.”

LEFF says they cannot trust a heartless imperialist who intends to take our Lesotho telecommunications industry, divide Africa, and destroy Lesotho diplomatic relations with other nations with whom we share historic friendships. Starlink’s presence in Lesotho is going to make our country more dependent on former slave

This comes in the light of a strongly worded press statement released by SECTION 2 last week where it asked for the retraction of the approval for Musk’s company.

“Retract the April 13, 2025, statement and revoke the 10-year license granted to Starlink Lesotho, as it was issued to a non-existent entity. Revise your licensing policies to ensure compliance with Section 82’s immediate registered office requirement, closing the gap exposed by your post-approval sublease policy.

Transparency demands that stakeholders, including Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) and Vodacom Lesotho (VCL) and the nation at large, be informed of this nullity,” SECTION 2 notes in its strongly worded press statement.

The group further appealed to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences to investigate “misrepresentation as potential fraud, given its submission of a false address to secure a lucrative license. Lesotho’s history of licensing irregularities necessitates swift action to deter future violations.”