Africa-Press – Lesotho. The National Reforms Authority (NRA) will from today kick start the three days National Stakeholders Consultation Forum at the ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre.
Themed “Towards Securing Sustainable Peace, Political Stability, National Unity, Reconciliation and Social Justice in Lesotho” the forum is expected to map a way forward regarding the
indigenous 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 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. Secondly, the stakeholders will deliberate on the Transitional
Justice mechanisms that are suitable for Lesotho context in line with Plenary II Decisions. “Lastly the gathering is expected to engender consensus among Basotho on National Reconciliation, and
afford victims a platform for engagement with a view to promoting healing and reconciliation. ” Among the key speakers expected in this forum are the Prime Minister Dr.
Moeketsi Majoro, NRA Chairperson Chief Pelele Letsoela, the Official Leader of Opposition Hon. Monyane Moleleki, the Leader of the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) retired South Africa’s Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, Northern
Ireland representative of Victims of Transitional Justice, United Nations Development Program (UNDP)’s Resident Representative and European Union Ambassador to
Lesotho. The public opinions contained in the Multi-stakeholder National Dialogue Plenary II Report envisions of the implementation of “an all-encompassing Transitional Justice
Commission (TJC)” which is believed to be “suitable to Lesotho’s context to address incidents of human rights violations and injustices, with a focus on
reconciliation, peacebuilding, reparation, compensation without compromising justice and impunity, to address all things that have turned Basotho nation
against each other”. The TJC is to be “a balance between amnesty and prosecution”. Meanwhile, the government had in May tabled the National Peace and Unity Bill, 2021 which is
precursor to the National Peace and Unity Commission. Albeit running parallel to the NRA’s anticipated peace architecture, this bill is “an act to make provision for the establishment of a National Peace and Unity Commission
for the purpose of building sustainable national peace, security, stability, unity and social cohesion by creating an opportunity for both victims and
perpetrators of gross human rights violations to reach healing and reconciliation; the empowerment of the Commission to hear evidence in a comprehensive manner to determine the truth about gross violations of human
rights emanating from acts, omissions or offences associated with political conflicts or motives committed in Lesotho; to grant reparations to victims and
amnesty to persons who make full disclosure of all relevant information of their wrong doings; and for related matters. ” NRA is a statutory body which has been established through the NRA Act No. 4, 2019 to “manage,
coordinate and lead” reforms process on the nations aspirations as espoused in the Plenary II document. The 59 member body is charged with the responsibility 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 houses of parliament (the National Assembly and the Senate). It is expected to develop 154 legislative instruments and policies.
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