Amnesty calls on Lesotho to end alleged human rights violations

Amnesty calls on Lesotho to end alleged human rights violations

Authorities in the small southern African kingdom of Lesotho have come under scrutiny from human rights advocates who say excessive force is part of a pattern when security forces arrest and detain suspects. Ahead of general elections planned for next week, the Amnesty International appeal calls on political candidates in…

Lesotho drops charges against former PM Thabane, wife

Lesotho drops charges against former PM Thabane, wife

The government of Lesotho announced Tuesday that it has dropped charges against former prime minister Tom Thabane and his wife, Maesiah, in connection with the murder of Thabane’s former wife, Lipolelo Thabane. The Lesotho Times reports that lead prosecutor Gareth Leppan withdrew the charges because a key witness in the…

Lesotho PM Thabane resigns amid murder allegations

Lesotho PM Thabane resigns amid murder allegations

Prime Minister Tom Thabane of Lesotho resigned on Tuesday, making good on public statements he’s made for weeks that promised he’d step down before summer amid allegations he is implicated in the 2017 murder of his former wife. Moeketsi Majoro, the country’s finance minister, is expected to be sworn in…

Thabane expected to address nation after Lesotho show of force

Prime Minister Tom Thabane of Lesotho is expected to address the small southern African kingdom on Monday, following tensions over the weekend that saw Thabane deploy the military in what he claims was a move needed to restore order. Thabane’s address will follow emergency consultations with Jeff Radebe, an envoy…

SADC cancels its in-person meetings as DRC reports first COVID-19 case

The Southern African Development Community has recommended temporary suspension of all in-person SADC meetings in its 16-nation region, urging instead the use of video conferencing, webinars and other tech-based solutions during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The decision was announced during a COVID-19 meeting of health ministers held in Tanzania on…

NGO calls on Lesotho to halt dam construction

Nearly 8,000 people face displacement because of a dam under construction in the southern African kingdom of Lesotho, and the Amnesty International organization is calling on authorities to stop the work until the affected Mokhotlong district is properly compensated. “As the construction of the Polihali Dam begins with work on…

Reports: Lesotho first lady in custody over 2017 Thabane murder

Police in Lesotho say the country’s first lady, Maesiah Thabane, has returned from South Africa after fleeing from authorities investigating the 2017 shooting death of Lipolelo Thabane, the former wife of Prime Minister Thomas Thabane. She is in police custody pending formal murder-related charges, according to journalist Nthakoana Ngatane of…

Three African nations lose UN voting rights

Central African Republic, Lesotho and The Gambia have had their United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voting privileges suspended because of a failure to pay required member dues. The decision is in line with rules under the UN charter that withhold the voting privileges when a nation meets or exceeds the…

Lesotho Ebola drill leads to scare in South Africa

South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) assured the public Thursday that there are no cases of Ebola within the nation and it is not testing for any cases in neighboring countries, following miscommunication over an Ebola drill at a Lesotho border crossing. “The NICD houses the only biosafety…

SADC summit ends with focus on Burundi, Lesotho and Zimbabwe

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has wrapped up its two-day summit in Dar es Salaam, with Tanzanian President John Magufuli taking leadership of the 16-nation body from outgoing chairman President Hage Geingob of Namibia. For now, the SADC will remain at 16 members because Burundi – hoping to join…

Lesotho welcomes new cannabis facility

Lesotho celebrated the opening of its new cannabis processing facility on Thursday, with King Letsie III set to join investors at the Verve Lesotho facility. Verve plans to produce cannabidiol (CBD) for medical uses, capitalizing on Lesotho’s decision to be at the forefront of African nations in exploring business opportunities…