’Marafaele Mohloboli

THE Lesotho Police Staff Association (LEPOSA) has announced plans for procession to petition Prime Minister, Thomas Thabane, over the government’s failure to pay them six percent salary increments dating back to 2015.

If approved by the Maseru Urban District Police Commissioner, the procession will take place on Thursday.

The proposed procession follows a request by members of LEPOSA and its National Executive Committee (NEC) during their two day meeting 22 and 23 March this year.

Police Spokesperson Superintendent, Mpiti Mopeli, yesterday said “The District Commissioner has received the application for the procession” but he could not confirm whether or not permission had been granted.

In 2015, government awarded a maximum six percent salary increment and this was given on a differentiated percentage grade which left out most of the junior officers.

Some ranks were awarded two percent while those in the ranks of Superintendent and Senior Superintendent were not given an increment.

The Commissioner of Police was given a 5.5 percent increment, a move that was described as “unlawful, arbitrary and discriminatory” by the police union.

The Public Meetings and Processions Act No 14 of 2010 calls for an application for a permit seven days before the date of the activity.

In its memorandum of 5 April 2018, LEPOSA said its members would be “kept abreast of the new developments as they unfold in order to ready themselves to participate in this march”.