Africa-Press – Lesotho. As Lesotho goes to the polls on 7 October, policing will be top of mind for many citizens. Reform of the security sector was one of the failed set targets for the national reforms agenda launched in 2017.
For the better part of 2022, the kingdom’s police commissioner, Holomo Molibeli has been fighting a move by Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro to have him fired over alleged corruption and police brutality.
What makes the situation worse is that the 11th Amendment to the Constitution Bill 2022, which removes the function of appointing the heads of these agencies from the office of the prime minister to avoid politicisation, was challenged at the constitutional court.
This means Lesotho will usher in a new government after 7 October with a legacy of security sector problems.
A recently released report by Afrobarometer found that citizens were worried about the country’s homicide rate, which is the worst in Africa and the sixth highest in the world.
“Nearly nine in 10 Basotho (88%) believe that the homicide rate in the country has increased over the past five years,” the report said. Compared to five years ago, more people say the force has become increasingly corrupt. The report reads:
More than half (52%) of citizens say that ‘most’ or ‘all’ police are corrupt – the third worst rating among 13 institutions and leaders the survey asked about.
In comparison to 2017, the level of corruption, the report claims, has risen by 20%. It’s also mentioned that 71% of respondents say the police “often” or “always” abuse or torture people in their custody.
This perception is supported by the fatal shooting of a National University of Lesotho student on 16 June this year. The Lesotho Mounted Police Service apologised for this in a press statement but so far, no one has been held accountable.
About managing public protests, such as the National University of Lesotho demonstration, “almost half (48%) say the police routinely use excessive force in managing protests”.
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