Caswell Tlali

MASERU — Lawyer Monaheng Rasekoai is the new Law Society president.
Rasekoai was elected the new Law Society boss at a council meeting in Maseru last Friday.
He replaces Zwelakhe Mda who did not seek re-election after serving 10 years at the helm of the Society.
Rasekoai garnered 25 votes while his closest challenger Molefi Ntlhoki could only manage 13 votes.
Tiisetso Sello-Mafatle got 10 votes while Nkoya Thabane got three votes.
Other members of the Law Society council are Nkoya Thabane, deputy president, Habofanoe ’Mabathoana, secretary general, ’Mamotšelisi Khiba, treasurer and ordinary member, Motene Rafoneke.
In his acceptance speech, Rasekoai pledged to work with other council members to maintain and improve standards in the legal fraternity.
Rasekoai said he would not speak further “lest I say things I do not intend to say”.
Mda said the election of the new council would prove whether it will retain “the trajectory path of being a vibrant and dynamic player in all issues connected with the rule of law or reconfigure itself into a benign elitist entity devoid of any potency”.
He said the main objectives of the Law Society include promoting reforms and improvements in law and to assist in the administration of justice.
“It is now settled and trite even by judicial pronouncements that the Law Society is a watchdog of the rule of law in the Kingdom,” Mda said.
He said the rule of law entails, among others, an independent judiciary.
“It has been emphasised that the independence of the judiciary is the mother of all human rights in that without it, other rights may not be realised,” he said.
“It is indubitably clear therefore that there can be no rule of law without an independent judiciary. True democracy is untenable without an independent judiciary.”