Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Hon. Mathibeli Mokhothu is expected to table the progress report on the ongoing national reforms before the Southern Africa
Community Development (SADC) in Malawi. The DPM left the country on Monday for the two day 41st Ordinary Summit of the Heads of States and Governments which is
slated for today and Wednesday. Mokhothu is holding the fort as the PM after the incumbent Dr Moeketsi Majoro tested positive for COVID-19 last week and is
reported to be in isolation. The report among others contains the progress made by the National Reforms Authority (NRA) which had last month held the three days National Stakeholders Consultations Forum at
the ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre in Maseru under the “Towards Securing Sustainable Peace, Political Stability, National Unity, Reconciliation and Social Justice in Lesotho”, mapping a way forward
regarding the peace architecture for the nation. The NRA Act charges the authority to promote long term national stability and unity as well as recommending the avenues for peace
and reconciliation for the “Lesotho we want”. According to the statement released by the NRA, the emotionally charged forum’s goals are in three-fold which are to “afford
stakeholders an opportunity to discuss and agree on issues and approaches to achieve sustainable Peace, National unity and healing, and Reconciliation”.
The stakeholders deliberated on the Transitional Justice mechanisms that are suitable for Lesotho as contained in the Plenary II Decisions and took stock of the consensus among the public on National Reconciliation,
and also afforded the victims a platform to view their grievances as part of healing and reconciliation efforts undertaken by the NRA. Present at the hybrid stakeholders meeting were the
victims and their representatives, the representation of civil society organisations (CSOs), development partners, the SADC facilitation team which participated virtually, experts on areas of peace and reconciliation, NRA and,
the government. It had also attracted speakers from Ghana and Northern Ireland who presented on peace and transitional justice, giving their countries
perspectives. During his official rotation visit, the retired Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa Dikgang Moseneke, while addressing the members of the NRA, said Lesotho is a “success story”.
NRA is a statutory body established by the NRA Act No. 4, 2019 to “manage, coordinate and lead” reforms process on the nation’s aspirations as espoused in the
Plenary II document. The 59 member body is mandated to implement the reforms in seven thematic areas which are: Judiciary, Constitution, Public Service, Economy, Media, Parliament and Security Sector.
The authority reports to both house of parliament (the National Assembly and the Senate). It is expected to develop 154 legislative instruments and policies and its tenure ends in September this year after which
it could be afforded additional six months if it has not finished its work. Meanwhile, the Summit is held under the theme “Bolstering Productive Capacities in the
Face of COVID-19 Pandemic for Inclusive, Sustainable, Economic and Industrial Transformation”. According to the bloc, the theme is an endeavour to seek
the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 and special attention is to be paid to the Industrialisation
and Market Integration pillar. The President of Malawi Dr Lazarus Chakwera will take over the chairpersonship of SADC from the outgoing President of Mozambique
Filipe Jacinto Nyusi. The Summit is also expected to deliberate over the ongoing unrest in Mozambique following the insurgency which is linked to in the
region of Cabo Delgado in that country, perpetrated by the insurgents linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). This move is a response to a call by the
Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of States and Governments which convened in June following the Member States’ pledge to deploy their army and form a joint
force to assist Mozambique. Lesotho had since deployed 125 troops to join the SADC joint forces to destabilise the situation and carry out peacekeeping.
