Mohloai Mpesi
A former senior procurement officer at Queen ’Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH) has told the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that she earned her position because of her role in the Movement for Economic Change (MEC).
Relebohile Poulo told the Committee on Thursday that she was employed after being referred for the position by Makatleho Lefielo, a former secretary to MEC leader and Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition Minister, Selibe Mochoboroane.
However, she was later fired over allegations of taking bribes.
Mr Mochoboroane, a former Health Minister, has categorically denied the claims, saying all people were hired on merit.
“Those people are qualified. I can even give you their numbers so you ask them,” Mr Mochoboroane told the Sunday Express.
Ms Poulo also alleged that politically connected individuals influenced procurement decisions at the hospital, including the awarding of tenders and the supply of fruit and vegetables.
MEC is part of the current coalition government with the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) and Alliance for Democrats (AD).
QMMH under scrutiny
QMMH, Lesotho’s flagship referral hospital, has for years faced allegations of political interference in appointments, financial mismanagement and procurement irregularities.
Opened in 2011, the hospital was initially operated under a public-private partnership between the government and the Tšepong consortium. The government terminated the arrangement in 2021 and assumed direct management of the facility.
Since then, the hospital’s staff complement and wage bill have grown substantially, with parliamentary investigations raising questions about politically connected appointments and whether some employees met the requirements for the positions they occupied.
The PAC’s ongoing inquiry into QMMH has already uncovered several contentious issues this year, including alleged “ghost” workers who continued receiving salaries despite no longer reporting for duty and what the Committee described as an “illegal” appointment of a senior finance manager over a more qualified candidate.
QMMH management has resisted the Committee’s scrutiny and previously approached the Constitutional Court and, subsequently, the Court of Appeal in attempts to stop the PAC from questioning its officials.
‘Hired politically’
Testifying before the PAC, Ms Poulo said she joined QMMH in August 2024 and was dismissed in February 2026 after being accused of taking bribes.
“I was fired, accused of lacking ethics and taking bribes,” she told the Committee.
PAC member and session chairperson Dr Tšeliso Moroke asked whether she had been reported for taking bribes, caught in the act or subjected to a disciplinary hearing.
Ms Poulo said she was suspended, followed by a disciplinary hearing that resulted in her dismissal.
She said colleagues had been brought in to testify that she had accepted bribes in connection with a consumables tender. She further alleged that she had discussed the matter with the minister responsible at a meeting held at her home.
“There is someone I was working with; they brought him to testify that I took bribes with them. This is because when we were making consumables, he or she wanted a tender, I spoke to the minister at that time. We had a meeting at my house.
“They were sure that there was something that I had done with that person,” she said.
Ms Poulo said the allegations emerged around the same time she was accused of pushing for a salary increase for Assistant Human Resource Manager Recruitment Ms Lefielo, who is a former secretary to Mr Mochoboroane.
The PAC has previously heard that Ms Lefielo earns M34,000 a month, rising to almost M42,000 when benefits are included.
Asked how she secured her position at QMMH, Ms Poulo said Ms Lefielo had informed her about the vacancy and encouraged her to apply.
“I was hired politically because I was a member of MEC. I was called by Makatleho Lefielo, who told me that there was going to be a position and that I should apply for it. I applied and went for an interview,” she said.
Dr Moroke asked Ms Poulo whether she had been “dancing to political songs”, to which she answered in the affirmative.
“Yes, I was. I was even a member of the National Executive Committee. Yes, I was employed by dancing to political tunes (ho haila),” she said.
Tender manipulation alleged
Dr Moroke then questioned Ms Poulo about a tender that was allegedly supposed to be awarded to a company called Nala but was instead awarded to Farm Fresh.
“There were a lot of employments that happened at QMMH. The hospital had 600 staffers, but the number ballooned to 1,600.
“We have dealt with the issue of political appointments and financial mismanagement, and now we are dealing with procurement. You were positioned in the right place to help us with information.
“The procurement of the hospital does not have transparency. Issues were done politically, through nepotism and bribes. There is a company called Nala which was supposed to be awarded the tender, but it was given to Farm Fresh,” he said.
Ms Poulo alleged that she was instructed by a colleague, Ms Motšetšeko, to ensure that Nala did not score sufficiently in the tender process and was disqualified.
“I was not part of the tender from the beginning. I got involved when I was directed by Ms Motšetšeko. Her instruction was that Ms Velaphi seemed to side with Nala, while Mr Rabale had promised to provide an evaluation team to ensure that Farm Fresh won the tender, but Mr Rabale did not do that. Instead, he assembled a panel of people who wanted Nala to win.
“I was therefore directed to ensure that Nala was disqualified. I came to work on a Saturday to work out how that could be done and discovered that Nala had not signed the certificate of bona fide tendering. I was told to use that to disqualify the company, and I did.
“I did not disqualify Nala myself, but I made a recommendation to the evaluation team to disqualify Nala,” she said.
MEC-linked company supplied QMMH
Ms Poulo further alleged that a company owned by a businessman who was also an MEC member had been supplying fruit and vegetables to QMMH without a formal order.
“It was not the first time this happened. There is a company owned by a businessman who is also a member of MEC, Capital Fruits and Veg, which was supplying fruit and vegetables.
“When I arrived, it was already supplying the hospital without an order. I was directed to ensure that the company got an order, and I worked to make sure that happened. I was directed by Ms Motšetšeko and Mr Makhobakhobe, through word of mouth,” she said.
Dr Moroke questioned whether Ms Poulo’s allegations were motivated by resentment towards her former political allies following her dismissal.
“Would I be wrong to assume you were politicking together, and now that they have dismissed you, you want to defame them? Would I be correct?” Dr Moroke asked.
“No, I am telling the truth. I don’t have to defame them. There are requisitions worth millions that would come to procurement with quotations we don’t know the origin of, given to us by Ms Motšetšeko.
“I have names of such companies: Splendid, Essential and Ndlovu, among others. They came with quotations. Even my colleagues would tell you that it is true,” she said.
Dr Moroke then asked Ms Motšetšeko, who was also present before the Committee, whether she accepted that directives had been issued from her office.
“Ms Motšetšeko, please briefly answer this. I asked you whether there are issues that came as directives from your office. I want you to say yes or no,” Dr Moroke said.
“Yes, it is true,” Ms Motšetšeko responded.
PAC vows action
Dr Moroke said the Committee would pursue the allegations and called for the removal of all employees who had allegedly been politically appointed at QMMH.
He said the PAC had previously held a workshop with the Southern African Development Community Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (SADCOPAC), where members agreed to follow up on issues raised during parliamentary oversight.
“Last year, PAC had a workshop with SADCOPAC. Among the issues discussed was that we should come back to see whether the things we discuss are indeed happening.
“My advice is that all the people who were politically appointed at the hospital should be removed… we are going to follow up on these issues,” he said.