Moroke Sekoboto

MOVEMENT for Economic Change (MEC) leader, Selibe Mochoboroane, has vowed to fight crime if voted into power in the 7 October 2022 elections.

Addressing hundreds of MEC supporters at a recent Mohale’s Hoek rally, Mr Mochoboroane said if voted into power, his government would give law enforcement agencies more resources to tackle all forms of crime including corruption.

“Fighting crime will be one of our top priorities,” Mr Mochoboroane said.

“There is massive corruption in this country, and it is hindering the growth of the economy. We must take it head on.”

An MEC government will also empower the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offenses (DCEO) to ensure that it is truly autonomous and adequately equipped to investigate cases.

Mr Mochoboroane said under his administration, the directorate would have its own judges to enable it to deal with cases without any outside influence.

An MEC government will also eradicate corruption by making DCEO and other state bodies autonomous.

Former Finance minister, ‘Mamphono Khaketla, recently told the Sunday Express’ sister paper, the Lesotho Times, that the DCEO was dealing with cases unprofessionally because it was being weaponized by whoever was in power to deal with political opponents.

Dr Khaketla made media headlines in 2016 after she was sensationally accused of attempting to solicit a M4 million bribe from a joint venture company shortlisted for a multi-million maloti vehicle fleet tender. High Court Judge Molefi Makara acquitted her in June this year after the DCEO failed to prosecute her.

Mr Mochoboroane said his government would fight all forms of rampant corruption, which he described as “an insidious plaque with corrosive effects on Basotho”.

Under his rule, corrupt civil servants will face harsh consequences, he warned.

Lesotho had lots of potential, but its economy was not flourishing because of corruption and theft, he said.

Mr Mochoboroane told the cheering crowd that his government would give the police more resources to fight homicide and other violent crimes.

“Murder and theft are some of the country’s major challenges and we will fight hard to eradicate them. Our government will work hard to fight the high rate of murders which have seen Lesotho ranked sixth in the world for homicide cases,” he said.

Lesotho has earned the nefarious distinction of being Africa’s murder capital and sixth in the world according to the World Population Review’s 2021 rankings for murders.

El Salvador was rated the murder capital of the world with Honduras coming in second followed by Venezuela, the Virgin Islands and Jamaica respectively. With Lesotho taking the sixth slot, it means the Kingdom has more murders than the numerous African failed states enmeshed in killer civil wars.

It is also possible that Lesotho may have overtaken some of the top five countries above it in the World Population Review’s 2021 rankings given the ongoing gruesome killings in the country.

Mr Mochoboroane said upon assuming power, he would immediately engage with Famo musicians to urge them to refrain from violence. The gangsters have been engaged in violent crimes including murder in Lesotho and neighbouring South Africa.

Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro has declared the gangs a threat to national security.

Mr Mochoboroane said an MEC government would encourage the warring Famo musicians to use their music to preach peace to Basotho and desist from violence.

His government would also push for the death penalty and ensure that murder suspects are denied bail.

It would help farmers fight stock theft along the country’s borders with South Africa by inserting microchips on the animals. This would help in tracing them in the event of theft.

“We will also close down butcheries that sell uncertified meat to safeguard public health,” he said.

His administration would also improve the salaries and working conditions of village health workers to motivate them.

It would also build a cancer centre to benefit Basotho patients who currently seek treatment in South Africa at a very high premium.

Mr Mochoboroane said his government would further introduce agriculture in schools to encourage youths to go into commercial farming and boost the country’s agricultural output.

“We will also introduce religious studies to inculcate good values in our children so that they respect human life from a young age,” Mr Mochoboroane said.