Moroke Sekoboto
HIS Majesty King Letsie III has paid tribute to the late former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Police, Pitso Maisa, for his unwavering faith in God and service to the nation.
Mr Maisa passed away on Saturday, 28 June, following a short illness. He was laid to rest at Lepereng Cemetery on Friday.
Speaking at the official funeral service held in Motimposo, King Letsie III eulogised Mr Maisa’s life and dedication to his family, community, and country.
“Let me extend my condolences to the Maisa family for their painful loss. Let us all be grateful to the Lord for the life of Mr Pitso Maisa. For giving him the strength and wisdom to raise a family, serve Motimposo, and ultimately serve the nation as a minister,” His Majesty said.
“Though it is painful to lose a loved one, as we wipe away our tears, we must give glory to God, who gave us Mr Maisa to serve us here on Earth. We are also grateful to the church for its spiritual and emotional support.
“I am thankful for Mr Maisa’s life, not only as a politician, but as a devoted Christian who brought his family to the church. The priest even praised his daughter for the positive influence she has within the congregation. We truly appreciate Mr Maisa’s deep faith in God.”
The King added: “I hope that all leaders will follow in his footsteps, regardless of their professions, by always remembering the presence of God and remaining prayerful. May Mr Maisa’s soul rest in peace.”
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Tlohang Sekhamane, also paid tribute, describing Mr Maisa as a principled and insightful man, with a good sense of humour.
“I did not know Mr Maisa well, even though we were both politicians. But after his appointment as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, we had the opportunity to interact more closely. I came to deeply respect him. He was a straight-talking, wise man,” Mr Sekhamane said.
Mr Maisa was born on 17 November 1972, the third son of the late Mr Sechaba and ‘Malimpho Maisa of Ha Tšiu. He attended Mekekeng Primary School, St James High School, and Lerotholi Polytechnic.
His professional journey included serving as a Personal Assistant to then-Minister of Science and Technology, Mamoshebi Kabi, and later working in the Traffic Department.
Mr Maisa began his political career in 1989 as a youth member of the Basotho Congress Party (BCP). In 2006, he joined the All Basotho Convention (ABC), under which he was elected as the Motimposo legislator in 2012. In 2014, he was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and subsequently served as Minister of Police.
In 2016, he left the ABC to form the Truth and Reconciliation Unity (TRU) alongside former ABC deputy leader Tlali Khasu. At the time of his death, he was a member of the United African Transformation (UAT).
He is survived by his wife, ‘Malebitsa Maisa, their three sons, and a daughter.