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Dec. 3, 2019

METRO REPORTERS

3 min read

Lesotho opens inaugural Freedom of Expression Festival

Lesotho opens inaugural Freedom of Expression Festival

Minister Majoro with TAEF chair, Jovial Rantao, member Mathata Tsedu, OSISA chair Sipho Malunga

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MASERU – Continental editors have converged in Lesotho’s capital, Maseru, for the inaugural celebration of the Freedom of Expression Festival (FEF 2019), where they are expected to thrash out the state of freedom of expression in the African as well as media advocacy in Southern Africa.

The gathering, held at the ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre, is held under the auspices of The African Editors Forum (TAEF), with participants drawn African countries that include Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Zambia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa, the USA and hosts, Lesotho.

TAEF is a body of editors and senior editorial executives from the African continent, with a membership base of close to 450 across the continent. It is the largest representative of media editors and has presence in Western, Central, Eastern, Southern and Northern regions of Africa. Its main mandate is to defend and promote media freedom, independence and the quality of journalism across the continent.

 

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Officially opening the FEF 2019 on behalf of the minister of communications, Dr Moeketsi Majoro noted the significance of the meeting happening when Lesotho is seized with the ongoing national reforms “to which the media is an important component”.

He said if Lesotho was bent of transforming herself into a governable and prosperous country it could only happen if the media in the country was involved.

He noted the many international  declarations to which the country was signatory to, inclusive of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Articles 9 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights as well as Articles 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - documents that he said guaranteed freedom of expression.

“At national level, on top of the aforementioned, as a country we are bound by the National Strategic Development Plan, which guarantees the free propagation of information and development,” the minister said.

He pointed out a number of challenges in safeguarding freedom of expression,  however, further singling out  funding and nurturing of journalists as seemingly harder to secure “in these times of digital journalism and fake news.”

In his remarks, TAEF chairperson Jovial Rantao applauded the work done by Basotho “to lead the country of King Moshoeshoe, one of Africa’s legendary leaders, to find a new political dispensation. After many years, months and weeks of dialogue, negotiations, etc. the people of Lesotho finally said, ‘we stop here and we move on’.”

Rantao observed the numerous national leadership fora which took note of numerous consultations with ordinary people, both urban and rural, whose concerns and grievances were recorded.

“At the end of this, all these documents belonged to the people. There were many glitches, many disputes, but finally all reached consensus, and agreed to a final report. This report was adopted through a Final Declaration.

We are happy that media freedom is among the many others freedoms of the Basotho that the new political settlement will protect. Working with the Lesotho Editors Forum and the Lesotho chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, we will strengthen the capacity of local journalists to play their rightful roles as a new dawn beckons for Lesotho,” he said.

The two-day festival, will among others, explore the role of the media in the advent of ICTs and the fourth industrial revolution, the overview of the reform agenda in Lesotho and the role of the media in transforming the country into a country the Basotho want.

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