Africa-Press – Lesotho. Dear brothers and sisters, subjects of His Majesty King Letsie III I come in peace but with grave concern regarding our existence as a nation in the 21st century.
It has been 30 years and three months since Lesotho returned to the multi-party democratic rule. This after the army deposed the then BNP government in January 1986.
Thirty years of democratic rule that has seen traditional revolutionary political parties start the democratic dispensation as ruling parties and indeed in fulfiment of the late Dr Ntsu Mokhele’s prophecies: ‘Lefika le tla thetheha ho fihlela le shatleha mme le fela’, and the mighty parties have split to the degree that they can’t garner enough votes to get even one parliamentary seat.
The 30 years have produced more GD6 owners than the delivery of basic amenities for the very same Basotho who queue on election days to bestow governments into office.
The creation of the much spoken about DCEO has not been the deterrent that the government wanted regarding the rampant corruption among the entire spectrum of servitude. Dear government, I write to you after having lived through the entire democratic era.
By 1993 when Lesotho returned to democratic rule, I had already completed my secondary school studies and some of my tertiary education, so believe me when I say I am well versed in what has been happening. I have seen it all and I can’t be fed alternative facts, not at my age.
As a patriot of this Kingdom and a taxpayer I feel compelled to exercise my constitutional rights, particularly my rights pertaining to access to information as well as those of being protected by the state.
I am of sound being and in good standing with the state, hence me being a truly free man who is not incarcerated. I love my country and will do anything possible to protect it.
In return I expect my country to provide services and security for me and my fellow brothers and sisters. That is why I never complain about the tax I pay.
I pay it willingly and would pay more if my government were to demonstrate that it can invest my tax for the betterment of my life and that of the nation as opposed to turning Lesotho, my fatherland, into a land of milk and honey for those who have the opportunity of dipping their hands into the cookie jar without fearing any legal repercussion simply because of them being acquainted to the ruling elite.
Leadership, it is a fact that the food that we eat today, and this is for the lucky few because many go to bed on empty stomachs and no one cares, but the food we eat today is the cause of many diseases we are forced to live with lately.
I do understand that this is one of the unfortunate evolutions of mankind, but my biggest worry is that if I am to fall ill, I mean really ill, does this country that milks me thousands of Maloti have a healthcare system that can prolong my life amidst the illness in order for me to continue sharing and contributing the skills I have learnt over the years in pursuit of building our economy?
Do we have medical practitioners and specialists in the numbers required to treat us in time of need? How many hospitals are adequately equipped with modern and relevant medical equipment? I hate to say this, there is more paracetamol in our hospitals than what is really needed to keep the lives of Basotho afloat.
. the reason being, the medical sector is not adequately staffed and resourced and this doesn’t seem to bother anyone in leadership.
I have friends and family who many will die from the most common diseases which in other countries would not even have problems finding medical assistance for.
How many cardiologists do we have in Lesotho? How many medical facilities have cardiology equipment? This is just but the tip of our medical requirements but imagine how many people have access to the basic scanners which would help diagnose illnesses that can be cured or managed and lives be saved?
Countries whose main export are palm oil products are way ahead of Lesotho, a country that exports water, white gold and diamonds. Isn’t this something to worry you my leaders?
I won’t dwell into my field of study and career, sport and recreation because you have long decided that sport and recreation are not the Lesotho government’s priorities. Yet acquisition of GD6 vehicles using ill-gotten gains is something to be celebrated when taxpayers lives are hanging, and just.
Today, the DCEO is battling to prove their cases before the courts of law and it is not because they don’t have tangible cases, but because the courts of law are said to be a vibrant stock exchange not economic one but justiciable one.
. the deeper your pockets the better the chances that your freedom will attract a fulfilling price to the demise of the economically challenged.
Suppose I were to fall ill, it will happen to one of us tax payers and or our non-tax paying dependents, what assurance can you as leadership give me that the state can do anything to consider to be an attempt to save me and my fellow brothers and sisters?
Firstly the only city we have, Maseru doesn’t even have paramedic services, the type we see in other cities across the border. If we were to have them, I am sure they would not be resourced with response vehicles, they would be standing without wheels, I know my leaders you know why .
. if they were to have vehicles, with the state of our roads, the vehicles would long have been parked due to the effect of the roads. My point is: without roads, nothing can efficiently work.
I could say more but in the interest of your dinners, I opt to end it here but will release a sequel about the imbalances of the economic situation of Lesotho households as dictated to by corruption that goes undeterred.
As you wait for the sequels, I beseech you to think why me and many Basotho who are waiting in vain to see their government deliver basic amenities to them. Until then, have a great day.
https://www.thepost.co.ls/insight/an-open-letter-to-my-government/
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